CR.'  l''l»2 


Duke  University  Libraries 

Report  of  the  S 
Conf  Pam  #473 

DTT01bfiT3a 


li  E  P  O  R  T 


OF    THE 


SECEETARY  OF  ¥AR. 


War  Department,  Co:.'federate  States  of  A>fERicA,  ) 
lUchmond,  Ncvembr  3,   18G4.      > 

Tv  the  President  of  the  Confederate  States : 

Sir  :  The  operations  of  the  War  Department,  since  the  date  of  my 
last  report,  embrace  in  their  scope  the  events  of  the  present  campaign, 
which  at  that  time  had  not  been  fullj  opened,  and  which  has  not  yet 
been  brought  to  a  close  ;  also,  the  measures  instituted  for  the  in- 
crease, organization,  equipment  and  supply  of  the  army,  under  the 
laws  adopted  at  the  last  session  of  the  first  Congress.  The  impor- 
tance of  the  elections  to  occur  vrithin  the  United  States  during  the 
present  year,  tlie  condition  of  their  finances  and  a  growing  discon- 
tent among  their  people,  because  of  the  duration  of  the  war,  induced 
a  belief  that  their  executive  and  military  authorities  would  prosecute 
the  campaign  with  extraordinary  vigor,  and  seek  to  render  it  decisive 
and  final.  Nor  has  this  anticipation  been  disappointed.  In  the. 
winter  and  spring,  the  enemy  collected  a  larger  body  of  men  than  he 
had  before  assembled  in  the  field,  who  were  commanded  by  his  favorite 
generals.  His  fleets  were  enlarged,  and  their  armaments  embraced 
all  the  improvements  that  naval  architecture  had  discovered.  His 
arms  and  equipments  were  of  the  most  improved  model,  and  whatever 
was  required  for  the  success  of  the  campaign  was  supplied  with  lavish 
profusion.  He  opened  the  campaign  by  an  attempt  to  obtain  com- 
mand over  the  States  bordering  on  the  Gulf  of  Mexico.  He  invaded 
Florida  ;  set  on  foot  an  expedition  to  sweep  through  Mississippi  and 
to  effect  the  capture  of  Mobile;  and  he  penetrated,  with  formidable 
armies,  to  the  weetcrn  limits  of  Louisiana,  to  establish  his  dominion 
over  that  State.  The  success  of  these  enterprises  was  expected  to 
give  him  a  firm  hold  upon  these  States,  and  to  enable  him  to  concen- 
trate all  his  energies  upon  the  campaigns  in  Virginia  and  Georgia. 
But  these  invasions  were  defeated  or  repelled.  My  last  report  com- 
urunicated  the  victories  obtained  in  Florida  and  North  Mississippi, 


2 

that  relieved  Alabama  and  Florida  from  the  invader,  and  I  have  now 
to  announce  a  series  of  brilliant  triumphs  obtained  by  our  arms  in 
Louisiana  and  Arkansas,  commencing  -with  the  signal  victories  of 
Mansfield  and  Pleasant  Ilill,  and  extending  into  the  interior  of  Mis- 
Bouri,  where  our  victorious  troops  were  at  the  date  of  our  latest 
information.  Almost  the  entire  trans-Mississippi  department  enjoys 
security  and  repose,  and  the  troops,  long  engaged  with  invaders  there, 
may  now,  as  in  part  they  already  are,  be  employed  in  formidable 
olTensive  operations.  But  the  primary  object  of  the  enemy  was  to 
effect  the  capture  of  Richmond,  and  the  defeat  and  dispersion  of  the 
armies  of  JNorthern  Virginia  and  Tennessee.  He  assembled  his  main 
srmy  for  this  purpose  in  April  last,  on  the  Rappahannock,  under 
General  Grant.  Another  was  collected  on  the  Peninsula,  under  com- 
mand of  General  Butler,  to  co-operate  on  the  south  side  of  Richmond. 
A  third  was  designed  to  penetrate  to  the  James  river,  through  the 
Valley  of  Virginia,  and  the  forces  in  Western  Virginia  and  Ken- 
tuclcy  w^ere  to  cross  the  mountains  and  join  it  on  its  march. 

It  is  believed  that  more  than  two  hundred  thousand  troops  were 
combined  for  the  execution  of  this  plan  in  April  last,  and  that  from 
fifty  to  one  hundred  thousand  men  have  since  been  added  as  rein- 
forcements. The  army  of  General  Grant  was  mst  at  the  Wilderness, 
on  the  5th  of  May  last,  and  defeated ;  it  was  encountered  with  the 
same  result  at  Spottsylvania  Court-House,  on  the  Po,  the  North  Anna, 
and  at  Cold  Harbor,  after  which  it  abandoned  its  march  on  Richmond 
and  crossed  the  James  river  to  form  a  junction  with  General  Butler 
near  Petersburg.  This  army  of  General  Butler  had  landed  on  the 
south  side  of  the  James  river,  at  Bermuda  Hundreds,  early  in  May, 
to  co-operate  with  the  army  of  General  Grant,  which  was  expected 
to  arrive  before  Riqhmond  in  a  short  time.  On  the  1 6th  day  of  May 
this  army  met  with  a  defeat  at  Drewry's  Bluff,  and  was  confined  to 
its  entrenchments  from  that  time  until  it  was  joined  by  the  array  of 
General  Grant. 

The  aimy  of  General  Sigel,  designated  for  the  invasion  of  the 
Valley  of  Virginia,  was  defeated  at  New  Market,  in  May  last,  and 
the  troops  from  Western  Virginia  driven  from  the  valley  of  the  upper 
Roanoke  about  the  same  time.  At  a  later  period,  these  armies  were 
united  under  General  Hunter,  and  after  a  successful  march  np  the 
Valley  of  Virginia,  were  encountered  by  General  Early  at  Lynch- 
burg and  driven  to  the  Ohio  river.  General  Early,  finding  "\Yashing- 
ton  City  and  Baltimore  exposed,  passed  through  the  Valley,  defeating 
all  opposing  forces,  crossed  into  Maryland,  and  penetrated  to  the 
suburbs  of  Washington  City  and  Baltimore.  The  cavalry  raids  of 
k^heridan  and  Y/ilson  were  defeated,  and  the  attempts  to  permanently 
obstruct  our  communications  have  failed.  The  campaign,  projected 
by  General  Grant  with  such  mighty  preparation,  has  been  frustrated, 
and  if  he  depended  alone  upon  the  means  that  were  provided  and 
were  deemed  to  be  superabundant,  his  failure  would  be  absolute.  But 
a  proclamation  has  been  made  for  the  draft  of  five  hundred  thousand 
men  by  the  President  of  the  United  States,  to  recruit  his  defeated  and 
dispirited  army  and  we  cannot  yet  claim  security  or  quiet. 


In  the  great  central  State  of  Georgia,  the  campaign  opened  about 
the  surne  time,  but  operations  have  been,  so  far,  less  favorable  to  our 
arms.  Preparation  had  been  there  made,  early  to  meet,  with  adequate 
forces,  exceeding  the  relative  disproportion  ■which  has  usually  existed 
with  all  our  armies,  and  repel  the  enemy  on  the  threshhold 
of  the  State,  but  prudence  or  strategy  led  the  General  entrusted 
with  the  conduct  of  the  campaign  to  prefer  a  retreating  and  defensive 
line  of  action.  In  consequence,  our  forces,  though  not  without,  on 
several  occasions,  severely  checking  and  punishing  their  adversaries, 
whenover  venturing  direct  assault,  were  gradually  manoeuvred  or 
pressed  back  towards  Atlanta,  the  leading  objective  point  of  the 
campaign.  When  that  important  central  point  of  union  to  various 
converging  lines  of  communication  had  been  nearly  reached,  and  ap- 
peared about  to  be  abandoned,  a  change  was  made  in  the  commander, 
and  a  strenuous  effort  was  made  to  hold  and  defend,  by  force  of  arms, 
this  place,  which  had  become  more  important  in  a  political  and  moral 
than  in  a  military  view,  from  the  significance  the  public  of  both  sides 
had  attached  to  its  possession.  It  was  bravely  held  for  several  weeks, 
and  some  successes,  achieved  with  skill  and  valor,  for  a  time  seemed 
to  assure  t©  us  its  retention,  when  a  hazardous  movement  of  the 
enera}^  which,  with  as  much  success  to  our  arms  as  there  was  prompti- 
tude in  seizing  the  occasion  by  our  commander,  must  have  caused  his 
ruin,  resulting  in  victory,  compelled  our  evacuation  of  the  city  and  its 
occupancy  by  the  enemy.  This  was  felt  as  a  serious  reverse,  and 
caused  some  depression  of  feeling  throughout  the  Confederacy, 
while  it  was  hailed  v»ith  unbounded  acclamation  and  revived  hopes  by 
the  enemy.  For  the  time,  the  loss  of  prestige  and  the  political  effects 
were  unquestionably  adverse  to  us,  but  results  may  show  that  its 
consequences  were,  on  both  sides,  strangely  misunderstood  and  ex- 
aggerated. It  has  liberated  our  army  for  offensive  operations,  while 
it  has  chained  down  our  enemies  to  the  tenure  of  a  far  inland  position 
of  no  real  strategical  value  since  the  breaking  up  of  its  railroad  con- 
nections, in  the  mid.it  of  a  hostile  population,  and  to  be  sustained 
only  by  fupplies  drawn  hundreds  of  miles  by  a  single  line  of  road. 
The  opportunities  presented  by  such  a  situation  have  been  seized  anxl 
used  by  our  bold  and  enterprising  leader  with  promptitude  and  energy. 
Tho  communications  cf  the  enemy  have  been  cut  in  many  places. 
Our  army  is  in  his  rear,  and  he,  instead  of  resting  securely  behind 
the  strong  entrenchments  of  his  recent  capture,  is  forced  to  come  forth 
to  encounter  his  skillful  adversary  on  ground  of  his  choice  and  where 
defeat  is  ruin  to  the  enemy,  only  reverse  to  us. 

Meantime  the  necessity  f  jr  concentration  by  the  enemy  of  his 
scattered  forces  for  the  invasion  of  Georgia,  compelled  the  relaxation 
of  the  bonds  which  have  restrained  the  patriotic  desires  of  the  loyal 
in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee.  In  consequence,  in  different  portions 
of  both  States,  with  the  encourajzement  of  some  little  aid  from  an 
officer  or  company  of  our  army,  the  people  are  organizing  and  arming 
in  force,  to  repel  their  oppressors  and  hold  their  own  country.  In 
fact,  at  this  time,  we  have  possession  of  larger  portions  of  both  States 
than  at  any  period  since  they  were  overrun  by  the  enemy,  and,  by  the 


indignities  and  wrongs  of  their  domination,  tliey  have  roused  all  lojal 
people  to  stern  defiance  and  the  resolve  never  to  submit.  Should  dis- 
aster overtake  the  army  invading  Georgia,  the  uprising  of  the  people 
behind  him  would  probably  be  general,  and  the  re-establishment  of 
the  permanent  ascendancy  of  the  Confederacy  over  those  important 
and  abundant  States  be  fully  secured. 

Shortly  after  the  fall  of  Atlanta,  a  series  of  disasters  befel  our 
troops  in  the  Valley  of  Virginia,  and  contributed  to  the  discourage- 
ment then  existing.  But  when  we  consider  the  events  of  the  entire 
campaign — the  brilliant  achievements  of  our  armies  in  Florida,  Mis- 
sissippi, Louisiana,  Arkansas  and  >:issouri — the  long,  arduous  and 
successful  resistance  made  by  the  army  of  Northern  Virginia,  in 
which  every  virtue  of  an  army  and  the  genius  of  consummate  general- 
ship have  been  displayed — the  glorious  defence  of  Petersburg  ami 
llichmond,  the  numerous  successes  that  have  crowned  our  arms  in 
Maryland,  Virginia,  Georgia,  South  Carolina  and  Mississippi,  the 
adventurous,  bold  and  effective  efforts  of  our  cavalry  under  Hampton, 
Forrest,  Lee  and  others,  v*e  have  cause  for  congratulation  and  re- 
joicing. We  have  resisted  the  mightiest  of  the  efforts  of  our  enemies  ; 
we  have  encountered  and  defeated  his  largest  and  best  appointed 
armies  ;  we  have  thwarted  his  best  laid  plans;  we  have  shown  our- 
selves to  be  worthy  of  that  separate  and  equal  place  among  the  nations 
of  the  earth,  which  is  our  birthright,  and  which  has  been  unjustly 
withheld  from  us. 

The  superintendence  of  the  measures  for  the  increase,  organization, 
equipment,  supply  and  movement  of  the  army  is  devolved  upon  this 
Department.  The  acts  of  Congress  of  April  and  September,  18G2, 
"to  make  further  provision  for  the  public  defence,"  and  the  act  of 
Congress  in  February  last,  "to  organize  forces  to  serve  during  the. 
war,"  contain  the  authority  of  the  Department,  and  designate  the 
means  for  maintaining  the  efficiency  of  the  army  as  to  men.  The  war 
upon  the  part  of  the  Confederacy  being  defensive,  the  proportions  it 
was  to  assume  depended  upon  the  character  and  extent  of  the  means 
employed  by  the  enemy  for  its  prosecution.  His  scheme  for  the  pros- 
ecution of  the  war  was  to  overcome  all  opposition  by  the  magnitude 
of  his  armies,  and  the  superiority  of  their  supply  and  equipment. 
Referring  to  the  census  tables,  he  estimated  the  arms-bearing  popula- 
tion of  the  Confederate  States,  accessible  to  their  control  in  any  form, 
to  be  less  than  one  million  of  men.  lie  determined  to  place  forthwith 
in  the  military  and  naval  service  some  seven  hundred  thousand,  and 
thus  to  compel  the  Confederacy  to  put  in  requisition  its  entire  strength  ; 
and  since  1861  he  has  strained  every  nerve  to  maintain  his  armies.at 
the  same  standard  as  to  numbers.  lie  has  recruiting  agencies 
throughout  the  continent  of  Europe,  and  he  has  enlisted  from  the 
negroes  of  this  continent,  it  is  said,  some  two  hundred  thousand  sol- 
diers. It  is  evident,  therefore,  that  to  carry  on  the  contest,  the  Con- 
federacy was  compelled  to  put  its  entire  resources  in  requisition. 
The  acts  of  Congress  of  1862,  before  mentioned,  contain  the  princi- 
ple, that  in  a  struggle  involving  the  being  of  a  nation,  every  citizen 
may  be  assigned  to  that  position,  and  to  perform  that  duty,  in  which 


he  can  render  beat  service.  The  exemption  acts  of  1862  and  1863, 
which  followed  the  acts  of  conscripticn,  do  not  contradict  this  princi- 
ple. They  were  designed  to  effect  such  an  organization  of  the  indus- 
try nf  the  States  as  to  enable  us  to  defend  ourselves  with  our  own 
resources.  Cut  off  from  the  commerce  of  the  world,  and  destitute  as 
we  were,  at  the  beginning  of  the  war,  of  magazines  and  arsenals  from 
which  to  draw  supplies,  it  became  apparent  that  our  safety  depended 
upon  the  activity  and  success'with  which  our  internal  resources  could 
be  developed  for  use.  There  v.a3  an  imperious  necessity  for  a  protec- 
tion to  manufacturing,  mechanical  and  mining  enterprises,  and  for  the 
devotion  of  agricultural  industry  to  the  production  of  subsistence  for 
the  army  and  people.  The  exemption  acts  of  1862  and  1353  were 
liberal  in  the  promotion  of  this  policy,  and  the  Confederacy  has 
derived  from  them  the  most  beneficial  results.  Notwithstanding  the 
embarrassment  and  obstruction  that  follow  upon  the  use  of  a  depre- 
ciated currency,  and  that  much  of  the  territory  of  the  Confederacy 
has  undergone  the  devastation  of  war,  an  adequate  supply  of  provis- 
ions has  been  obtained  for  the  army.  The  mobility  of  our  armies  has 
been  maintained  by  the  aid  extended  to  railroads;  the  manufacturing 
establishments  have  supplied  a  large  portion  of  the  clothing  for  sol- 
diers, and  the  mechanical,  mining  and  manufacturing  industry  em- 
ployed upon  the  production  of  arms  and  munitions  of  war,  have 
enabled  us  to  conduct  our  campaigns  with  security  and  confidence. 
We  have  been  enabled  to  compete  with  a  nation  of  artizans  and  me- 
chanics, whose  invention  and  skill  have  been  stimulated  by  the  munifi- 
cent bounty  of  their  Government.  Nor  were  these  results  achieved 
by  any  sacrifice,  nor  even  detriment  to  the  claims  of  the  armies  in  the 
field.  The  muster  and  pay  rolls  of  the  armies  show,  that  through  the 
campaigns  of  1862  and  1863,  if  any  undue  diminution  is  discernablc, 
it  was  due  to  desertion  and  absenteeism,  more  than  to  any  deficiency 
in  the  recruiting  system  that  had  been  adopted.  But  it  cannot  be 
disguised  that  the  duration  of  this  war  for  more  than  three  years,  and 
the  unparalleled  largeness  of  its  proportions,  and  the  sanguinary 
nature  of  the  warfare,  have  become  manifest  in  the  official  returns  of 
our  armies  and  of  the  recruiting  service.  The  acts  of  Congress 
during  the  last  winter  contain  admissions  of  the  fact.  They  provide 
in  no  indistinct  terras  for  the  contingency  that  was  anticipated  shortly 
to  occur,  when  the  capacity  of  our  people  to  contribute  further  recruits 
to  the  army  would  be  more  heavily  taxed  than  at  any  former  period. 
The  regulation  that  discharged  a  principal  who  had  furnished  a  sub- 
stitute was  abrogated,  and  the  principal  was  required  to  return  to  the 
army.  The  bureau  service  was  curtailed  in  its  efficiency  by  the  with- 
drawal of  men  able  to  perform  duty  in  the  field,  and  their  places  to 
be  supplied  by  the  disabled,  feeble  and  invalid.  A  large  portion  of 
the  exemptions  were  repealed,  and  details  were  limited  to  cases  of: 
public  necessity  or  State  expediency,  or  confined  to  experts  and  pei*- 
sons  of  skill  and  craft.  Tho  Department  was  unable  to  execute  the 
law  as  soon  as  it  was  promulgated  without  deranging  all  branches  of 
the  service,  and  seriously  crippling  the  operations  of  the  armies  in  the 
field.     The  dependence  of  those  armies  upon  the  Departments  of  sup- 


ply,  for  efficiency  and  vigor,  is  too  intimate  to  allow  of  any  abrupt  or 
incautious  disturbance  of  tbeir  operations.  Ti^ie  reduction  in  their 
service  to  the  standard  required  by  the  act  of  Congress  was,  however, 
progressing  regularly  in  such  mode  as  to  assure  against  any  shock  or 
arrest  to  essential  operations.  But  the  urgency  of  the  field  service, 
the  thinning  of  our  own  raiiks  under  the  casualties  and  sufferings  of 
the  campaign,  and,  above  all,  the  call  of  the  enemy  for  five  hundred 
thousand  recruits,  and  the  extraordinary  efforts  they  were  making  to 
assemble  overpowering  hosts  on  every  arena,  but  especially  before  and 
for  the  capture  of  our  capital,  demanded  that  all  available  means  should 
be  promptly  employed  to  increase  the  numbers  and  efficiency  of  our 
army.  It  became  necessary  not  only  to  expedite  the  removal  to  the 
army  of  those  -whom  the  act  referred  to  had  proposed  to  withdraAV 
from  their  employment  in  the  administrative  branches  of  the  service, 
but  also  to  extend  the  call  to  all  others  liable  to  conscription  for  active 
service.  The  late  legislation  of  Congress,  while  subjecting  classes 
before  exempt  to  service,  had  given  a  large  discretion  of  detail,  and 
had  maniftsted  a  desire  for  the  liberal  allowance  of  such,  with  a  view 
to  maintain  the  agriculture,  manufactures  and  industrial  operations  of 
the  country.  This  discretion  had  been  used  as  far  as  seemed,  at  the 
time,  compatible  w-ilh  the  demands  of  the  active  service,  and  Lad 
withheld  for  these  important  ends  considerable  numbers,  not  exempts, 
from  our  armies.  It  has  been,  in  view  of  the  forces  being  mustered 
against  us,  deemed  necessary  to  revoke  all  such  details,  and  to  enforce 
rigidly  the  laws  of  conscription  limiting  to  men  capable  only  of  light 
duty,  and  to  reserves,  employment  in  the  departments  of  the  public 
service,  and  tbus  to  liberate  for  the  field  all  liable  to  such  duty,  except 
skilled  artisans,  experts,  and  men  of  science,  and  a  few  others  actually 
indispensable  for  the  maintenance  and  supply  of  the  armies.  By  sub- 
jecting all  others  rigidly  and  promptly  to  the  obligation  of  active  ser- 
vice which  the  law  in)|:oses,  it  is  believed  verj  considerable  reinforce- 
ments of  the  most  efficient  material  are  being  afforded  to  our  armies. 
In  addition,  the  law  allowing  the  acquisition,  even  by  impressment,  if 
necessary,  of  twenty  thousand  able-bodied  male  slaves,  for  employ- 
ment with  the  armies  as  teamsters,  cocks  and  the  like,  is  being 
enforced,  and  the  substitution  of  such  will  allow  the  recall  to  the  ranks 
of  many  valuable  men  who  have  heretofore  been  detailed  for  such  inci- 
dental service. 

The  reserves,  too,  consisting  of  those  between  17  and  18  and  those 
between  45  and  50  years  of  age,  have  been  organized  under  a  com- 
mander for  each  State,  and  where  the  State  is  invaded,  have  been 
called  into  active  service.  They  have  been  found  an  efficient  force  to 
supply  guards  to  cities  and  public  v.orks,  and  for  the  large  number  of 
prisoners  in  our  hands,  and  also  as  defenders  of  bridges,  roads  and 
important  points,  and  have  thus  liberated  for  the  field  many  soldiers 
who  must  otherwise  have  been  withdrawn  from  the  active  armies.  On 
several  occasions,  too,  portions  of  them  have  been  thrown  with  the 
armies  in  the  field  as  active  auxiliaiies.  So  far,  wherever  tried,  they 
haie  exhibited  the  characteristic  valor  and  aptitude  of  our  people  for 


military  Lfe,  and  have  couiparcil  well  vfitli  their  veteran  comrades  in 
constaiicj  and  conduct. 

These  various  meisures,  sanctioned  by  existing  legislation,  must 
materially  incroase  and  reinvigorate  our  depleted  armies,  but  it  is 
not  to  be  disguisc<I  that  they  must  still  leave  those  armies  relatively 
weak  to  encounter  the  hosts  being  summoned  by  the  enemy  for  our 
subjugation.  Signs  of  exhaustion  and  despair  ot'  success  were,  until 
some  late  unhappy  reverses  to  cur  arms,  plainly  manifested  by  our 
malignant  foes,  and  this  is  probably  the  last  grand  effort  their  means 
or  resolution  will  allow  for  their  war  of  aggression  and  conquest.  It 
should  be  met  and  overcome  by  the  early  and  full  command  of  all  our 
men  and  means,  and  for  this,  additional  legislation  is  required.  It  13 
my  deliberate  conviction,  more  than  cnce  expressed  in  former  reports, 
that  the  policy  of  exemp'ions  to  tho.'e  capable  of  military  service  is 
unwise,  and  that  all  men  between  the  ages  of  18  and  45,  capable  of 
bearing  arms,  should,  without  distinction  of  occupation  or  profession, 
be  subjected  to  service,  and  called  to  the  field.  The  few  indispensa- 
ble exceptions  for  the  needs  of  society  and  the  supply  of  the  army 
might  be  readily  and  mare  conveniently  provided  by  details.  Ex- 
emptioafii  by  classes  necessirily  coyer  many  not  actually  demanded 
by  society  lor  the  needs  that,  on  the  average,  miy  have  given  plausi- 
bility to  the  exoeprion'^,  and  such  exception?',  besides  inducing  invidi- 
ous feelings  and  dissatioftction.  compel  a  discrimination  in  the  call 
for  sutvice,  which  both  doliys  and  m.Msurably  defeats  its  full  accom- 
plishment. It  i?  therefore  urgently  recommendod  that  all  exemp- 
tions, except  of  officers  actually  essential  to  the  conduct  of  the  Con- 
faderato  and  Scute  Governments,  be  abolished,  and  all  of  the  military 
age,  physically  capable,  .vithout  distinction  or  discrimination,  be  at 
once  devoted  to  the  sacred  duty  of  defending  their  country  in  the 
field.  They  would  probably  constitute  as  large  a  draft  for  continu- 
ous service  in  the  field  as  the  interests  of  society  would  allow,  but  it 
14  not  doubted  that,  Avith  the  aid  of  our  slaves,  those  beyond  and  be- 
low the  ages  prescribed  for  active  service,  with  the  large  number  cf 
those  fit  only  for  light  duty,  and  the  partially  disabled  by  service, 
would  suffice  adequately  to  maintain  necessary  production  and  sup- 
ply, both  for  the  armies  and  the  people. 

With  -a  view  to  the  increase  of  our  armies  in  the  field,  the  policy 
has  been  suggested,  and  has  attracted  some  public  attention,  of  en- 
listing our  negro  slaves  as  soldiers.  No  compunction  could  be  felt  in 
so  using  them,  for  deeply  as  the  whites  of  the  South  are  interested  ia 
repelling  the  invasion,  and  forever  liber.ating  themselves  from  the 
association  or  thraldom  of  our  enemies,  the  negroes  of  the  South  are 
even  more  vitally  concerned.  With  the  whites  it  is  a  question  of 
nationality,  of  honor  and  property.  With  the  negroes,  in  its  dread 
issues  in  no  distant  future,  it  is  a  question  of  their  existence  as  a 
race.  The  friendship  of  a  people  so  selfish,  cruel  and  remorseless  a9 
our  foes,  would  be  to  the  unhappy  negro  more  fatal  than  to  us  their 
enmity.  In  contact  with  them,  under  their  pretended  freedom  tn^fore 
the  law,  Avhich  in  operation  on  an  inferior  race  is  but  a  license  to 
greed  and  oppression,  exposed  to  all  the  vices,  without  the  providence 


of  the  civilized  man,  they  must  soon,  in  the  lanrruaire  of  a  leader 
among  their  professed  friends,  "  be  trampled  out  as  a  sickly  exotic," 
or  ■wither  a^-ay  smid  the  blighting  influences  of  debauchery,  pauper- 
ism, crime  and  disease.  They  have,  besides,  the  homes  they  value,  the 
families  they  love,  and  the  masters  they  respect  and  depend  on  to 
defend  and  protect  against  the  savagery  and  devastation  of  th<}  en?my. 
No  fear  is  entertained  of  their  fidelty,  for  the  feeiings,  as  the  interests 
of  the  great  mass  of  the  nrgroes,  have  been  conclusively  manifested  to 
be  ^Yith  their  protectors  and  masters.  Neither  is  it  doubted  that, 
under  the  leadership  of  those  whites  to  vrhom  they  have  been  habit- 
uated and  in  whom  they  have  confidence,  they  would  exhibit  more 
steadfastness  and  courage  than  they  will  ever  attain  as  soldiers  of  the 
enemy.  If  any  added  incentive  were  required,  from  the  supposed 
love  of  freedom  natural  to  man,  it  might  be  readily  afforded  by  the 
assurance  of  emancipation  to  all  who  conducted  themselves  with 
fidelity  and  courage  during  the  war.  For  any  such  action,  it  would 
of  course  require  the  concurring  legislation  of  each  State,  from  the 
slave  population  of  which  the  negro  soldiers  had  been  drawn,  because 
to  the  States  belong  exclusively  the  determination  of  the  relations 
"which  their  colored  population,  or  any  part  of  them,  shall  hold.  It  is 
not  doubted,  however,  should  it  be  deemed  expedient  so  to  employ  and 
reward  slaves  enlisted  as  soldiers,  that  the  necessary  legislation  would 
be  accorded,  for  there  is  no  sacrifice  of  property  or  minor  interests, 
which  would  not  be  made  by  either  our  States  or  people,  to  assure 
final  separation  from  our  hateful  foes,  and  the  achievement  of  our  lib- 
erty and  independence.  \Vhile  it  is  encouraging  to  know  this  re- 
source for  further  and  future  efforts  is  at  our  command,  my  ow^n  ju'^J?'- 
ment  does  not  yet  either  perceive  the  necessity  or  approve  the  policy 
of  employing  slaves  in  the  higher  duties  of  soldiers.  They  are  con- 
fessedly inferior  in  all  respects  to  our  white  citizens,  ia  the  qualifi- 
cations of  the  soldier,  and  i  have  thought  we  have  within  the  military 
age  as  large  a  proportion  of  our  whole  population  as  will  be  required 
or  can  be  advantageously  em.ployed  in  active  military  operations.  IF, 
then,  the  negro  be  employed  in  the  war,  the  inferior  is  preferred  to 
the  superior  agent  for  the  work.  In  such  a  w^ar  as  this,  waged  against 
foes  bent  with  malignant  persistance  on  our  destruction,  and  for. ail 
that  man  holds  priceless,  the  most  vital  xoork  is  that  of  the  soldier,  and 
for  it  wisdom  and  duty  require  the  most  fitting  wjorkmen.  The  supe- 
rior instrumentalities  should  be  preferred.  It  will  not  do,  in  ray 
opinion,  to  risk  our  liberties  and  safety  on  the  negro,  while  the  white 
man  may  be  called  to  the  sacred  duty  of  defence.  For  the  present,  it 
seems  best  to  leave  the  subordinate  labors  of  society  to  the  negro,  and 
to  impose  its  highest,  as  now  existing,  on  the  superior  class. 

The  reserves  might  remain,  as  now  constituted,  for  service  through- 
out each  State  ;  but,  in  addition,  it  would  seem  expedient  that  all  other 
white  males  capable  of  bearing  arms,  in  even  local  service,  should.be 
organized  and  armed,  ready  to  maintain  the  police  of  the  country,  and 
to  resist,  within  the  limits  of  their  counties,  or  some  restricted  district 
contiguous  thereto,  the  actual  raids  or  invasions  of  the  enemy.  No 
serious  interruptions  would  thus  be  caused  to  their  industrial  avoca- 


tions,  or  their  relations  to  society,  and  yet  a  greater  degree  of  fecu- 
ritv  and  coufidence,  and  a  universal  sentiment  of  patriotic  self-devo- 
tion would  be  secured.  In  the  war  waged  by  nialir^nant  foes,  who  aim 
not  merely  against  our  national  existence,  but  at  the  institutions  of  our 
social  system,  at  the  property  and  means  of  subsistence  of  all.  ar.d 
contemplate  nothing  less  than  desolation  to  the  country  and  expulsion 
or  extinction  of  itsii.habitants,  all,  of  whatever  age,  have  both  in- 
terest and  duty  compelling  them  to  stand  to  arms  in  defence,  acoording 
the  measure  of  tht.'ir  ability.  The  country  should  be  as  one  great 
camp,  and  the  whole  people  arranged  in  tie  most  efficient  military 
organizations  compatible  with  the  maintenance  of  the  necessary  works 
and  production  of  society,  for  unflinching  resistance  to  the  utmost 
extremity.  The  subjugation  of  a  brave  people,  so  organized  and  re- 
solved, is  an  utter  impossibility. 

Some  measures  of  legislation  are  believed  to  be  expedient  to  jnnin- 
tain  the  number  and  increase  the  efficiency  of  the  cavalry  in  the  field. 
The  policy  of  requiring  the  men  to  furnish  their  own  horses  was  at 
all  times  doubtful,  as  while  affording  apparently  an  inducement  to 
^'reater  care  of  the  animal,  it  interferes  with  discipline  and  impaiis 
efficiency.  It  also  cause?,  almost  of  necessity,  the  dismounting  for 
loig  periods  of  those  who,  having  lost  horses,  arc  unable  to  furnish 
ihem  speedily  or  at  all,  and  the  absence,  often  on  protracted  furloughs, 
of  the  men  who  have  sustained  such  losses,  to  procure  other  horses. 
Under  the  weariness  of  protracted  service,  and  the  eager  longing  for 
return  home,  which  at  times  possesses  even  the  best  sobliers,  this 
chance  cf  a  furlough  is  said  to  more  than  counteract  the  interest  of 
ownership  in  the  horse,  and  to  constitute  a  pTemium  on  neglect,  or 
the  allowance  of  casualties  to  disable  their  animals.  A  worse  conse- 
quence, perhaps,  is  the  tendency  and  temptation  of  the.  system  to 
induce  plundering  and  irregular  modes  of  supplying  themselves  by 
the  men.  Those  mounted  are  aware  of  the  constant  liability  to  the 
loss  of  their  animals,  and  of  the  difficulty  and  expense  of  replacing 
them,  and  are  under  constant  inducement  to  obtain  reserve  horses,  or 
the  means  of  purchasing  them.  Those  dismounted  are  even  more 
strongly  stimulated,  by  the  inconveniences  of  their  position  and  the 
danger  of  being  transferred  to  less  acceptable  branches  of  the  service, 
to  provide  themselves,  even  by  illegitimate  means.  These  induce- 
ments are  all  enhanced  by  the  limited  class  of  casualties  for  which 
the  value  of  the  horse  lost  is  repaid  under  preseni;  law,  and  the  delays 
and  embarrassments  encountered  in  affording  proof  and  obtaining  pay- 
ment. Horses  are  paid  for,  too,  only  at  the  valuations  assessed  at 
the  time  they  are  taken  into  service,  and  with  the  fluctuations  in  the 
value  of  our  currency  and  the  enhancement  of  prices  resulting  from 
the  increasing  scarcity  of  the  proper  horses,  the  value  repaid  is  gene- 
rally grossly  inadequate.  If  the  present  system  is  to  continue,  it  is 
indispensable  that  there  should  be  wider  range  to  the  casualties  in 
which  the  value  is  repaid,  more  liberality  in  the  assessment  of  value 
and  greater  facilities  for  prompt  payment. 

'Ihe  class  of  men  who  constitute  our  cavalry,  while  among  the  most 
spirited  and  active  of  our  citizens,  are  yet  generally,  from  previous 


10 

intlependent  habits  of  lifo,  most  difiicult  to  discipline  and  subject  to 
subordination.  Entering  immediately  on  service,  they  have  enjoyed 
feAv  opportuities  of  previous  drill  or  training,  and  from  the  detached 
and  oft-en  irregular  service  ia  which  they  are  frequently  employed, 
they  are  much  rerooved  from  the  restraints  and  responsibilities  of 
large  commands.  They  are  but  too  apt,  therefore,  ■while  individually 
gallant  at;d  enterprising,  to  be  wanting  in  organization,  in  discipline. 
and  in  the  efficiency  and  reliability  which  should  belong  to  trained 
troops.  Our  cavalry  have  pei formed  many  achievements  of  valor 
and  utilityjbut  they  have  also,  on  occasions  of  great  importance  shown 
v/ant  of  vigilance  or  constancy,  nnd  caused  disaster.  These  defects 
are  believed  to  spring,  not  from  deficiencies  in  the  men,  but  in  the 
system  of  selection  and  of  training.  It  ib  believed  it  would  be  wiser 
that  the  cavalry  should  gradually  be  constituted  of  men  picked  from 
the  trained  and  veteran  soldiers  for  their  peculiar  qualifications,  anil 
that  these  should  be  mounted  and  equipped  at  the  public  expense.  It 
might  be  made  a  penalty  for  the  loss  of  their  horses,  through  neglect 
or  any  other  than  the  inevitnblc  casualties  of  war,  that  the  m  n  should 
be  returned  to  infantry  service.  This  would  probably  be  found  more 
efficient  than,  under  the  present  system,  private  o'lvnership  has  proved. 
to  obviate  neglect  and  secure  due  attention  to  the  animals,  while  it 
would  remove  all  inducement,  from  self-interes<-,  to  undue  cautioja  or 
escape  under  the  legitimate  hazards  of  war.  There  would  b^  the  cer- 
tainty, too,  that  the  men  v.-ere  trained  and  disciplined  and  habituateti 
to  fight  as  infantry,  which  in  msny  instance-^.,  our  cavalry,  from  th«3 
nature  of  the  country  or  the  like  tactics  of  the  enemy,  are  compelled 
to  do.  I*;  is  not  doubted  that  in  this  way  the  superiority  of  our  cav- 
alry over  that  of  the  enemy  could  be  permanently  establhshed. 

It  has  been  more  than  once  heretofore  urged  by  the  department, 
that  to  maintain  the  number  and  efficiency  of  our  army  organizations 
it  was  essential  there  should  be  some  power  of  reducing  and  consoli- 
dating them.  The  d*  pleticn  of  many  of  the  organizations,  during 
the  late  wasting  and  bloody  campaign,  has  made  this  more  than  ever 
manifest.  It  is  im.posj-ible  adequately  to  recruit  many  of  the  reduced 
regiments  and  companies,  especially  those  from  the  distant  and  trans- 
Missisaippi  States,  and  not  a  few  are  so  thinned  in  their  ranks  as  to 
cause  despondency  and  inefficiency.  There  is  necessarily,  too,  au 
undue. proportion  of  officers  to  men,  which  adds  to  the  expense  while 
weakening  the  force  of  the  army.  The  evil  is  often  so  glaring  that 
a  remedy  is  obliged,  in  some  way  to  be  applied.  This  is  done  at  the 
expense  of  subsequent  embarrassments  and  confusion  of  legal  nghts, 
by  the  temporary  union  by  the  authority  of  the  general  in  the  field, 
of  fragmentary  companies  or  regiments,  or  more  legally,  though 
indirectly,  under  the  sanction  of  the  department,  by  the  disbandment 
of  some  depleted  organizations  and  the  assignment,  as  by  conscrip- 
tion, of  the  men  to  some  other.  In  such  case,  however,  there  is  no 
chance  of  selecting  the  best  officers  of  both  organizations,  but  there 
is  the  injustice  of  depriving  all  the  officers,  however  meritorious,  of 
the  one  disbanded,  of  their  commissions.  It  would  evidently  be  much 
more  just  and  beneficial  to  the  service,  that  the  power  should  exist  to 


11 

consolidate  tlie  two,  and  retain  the  best  officers  of  each.    It  is  recom- 
njcnded  the  pov\'er  be  granted. 

It  has  been  mentioned,  ihat  for  the  organization  and  control  of  tie 
reserves,  a  commander  has  been  assigned  in  each  State.  Thoy  con- 
stitute a  peculiar  and  auxiliary  force,  which  yet  cannot,  it  is  thought, 
be  justly  deemed  an  independent  army.  Ilence  an  embarassment 
results,  which  deraards  the  correction  of  legislation.  They  are  not 
entitled  to  order  and  revise  the  proceedings  of  courts  martial,  nor,  if 
a  military  court,  as  is  authorized  by  law  for  each  State,  should  be 
appointed,  could  they  have  it  attjiched  to  their  commands,  or  review 
its  decisions.  As  the  reserves  are  necessarily  rather  deficient  in 
order  and  training,  the  restraint  and  influence  of  such  tribunals  are 
specially  necessary  for  thiir  control  and  subordination.  It  is  proba- 
bly not  necessary  to  give  any  military  court,  or  revision  of  the  deci- 
sion of  any  established  for  the  States  respectively,  as  the  power  to 
appoint  and  revise  the  proceedings  of  courts  martial  would  suffice. 
Courts  might  then  be  constituted,  to  sit  permanently,  of  di;atled  or 
invalided  officers. 
//  The  condition  of  our  gallant  soldiers  in  the  hands  of  the  enemy 
continues  to  engage  the  sulicitude  and  interest  of  the  Department. 
The  number  of  the  captives  on  each  side  has  been  greatly  swelled  by 
the  vicissitudes  of  the  present  fearful  campaign,  though  the  dispro- 
portion heretofore  existing  against  us  has  been,  by  our  superior  suc- 
ctsses,  greatly  reduced,  if  not  entirely  overcome.  It  has  been  the 
ccuhtant  dctire  and  effort  of  the  Department  to  effect  e.^chLinges  on 
any  principle  of  equity,  and  the  opportunity  has  never  been  lost  to 
make  this  known  to  the  enemy,  and  to  obtain  his  concurrence.  Tae 
obligations  of  the  cartel  and  the  faith  pledged  to  its  observance  have 
been  repeatedly  invoked;  but  in  vain.  To  such  demands  intimations 
were  conveyed  that  the  enemy  would  only  agree  to  an  exchange  of 
man  for  man.  So  long  as  the  enemy  held,  as  they  claimed,  a  supe- 
riority in  the  number  of  captives,  it  was  seen  that  this  mode  of  ex- 
change would  leav$  the  surplus  of  our  captive  soldiers  in  their  hands, 
withuut,  for  the  time,  any  adequate  check  on  the  inhumanity  and 
cruelty  they  have  been  ever  prone  to  exhibit  towards  such  captives. 
Still,  as  the  preponderance  of  numbers  steadily  diminished,  confi- 
dence increased  that  the  prospect  of  speedy  captures  would  soon  ena- 
ble us  to  check  or  avenge  their  malignity.  Tliis  consideration,  in  aid 
of  the  powerful  i^icentives,  even  more  of  humanity  and  gratitude 
than  of  interest,  that  urged  any  practicable  effort  for  the  relief  and 
release  of  our  imprisoned  soldiers,  induced  us  to  overlook  alike  our 
just  rights  under  the  cartel  and  apprehensions  of  the  probable  ill 
treiituient  of  the  surplus  that  might  remain  in  the  power  of  our  vin- 
dictive foes,  and  to  propose  exchange  on  the  very  terms  intimated  as 
acceptable,  of  man  for  man.  The  offer  only  afforded  another  illus- 
tration of  the  hypocrisy,  faithlessness  and  inhumanity  of  the  enemy, 
for  it  was  soon  made  apparent  that  their  professed  willingness  was  but 
a  pretext  and  a  blind,  and  while  they  expected  the  plan  would  not  be 
acquiesced  in,  to  conceal  their  own  deterjaination  to  make  no  general 
exchange.    They  have  here  and  there  consented  to  partial  exchanges, 


12 

generally  effected  between  commanders  in  the  field ;  but  the  Govern- 
ment appears  to  have  deliberately  adopted  the  remorseless  and  inhu- 
man policy  of  enforcing  the  captivity,  with  all  its  attendant  suiler- 
ings,  of  the  prisoners  on  both  sides  during  the  war.  They  pay  thus 
impliedly  to  our  gallant  soldiers  the  tribute  of  admitted  superiority, 
while  they  exhibit  to  the  unhappy  victims  from  their  army  their  own 
ingratitude,  perfidy  and  cruelty.  One  of  their  favorite  commanders 
has  not  even  hesitated  to  avow,  with  utter  disregard  cf  the  claims  of 
their  captive  soldiers  on  their  consideration  and  protection,  that  as  the 
terms  of  service  of  many  had  expired,  they  were  not  to  be  regarded 
as  subjects  of  equal  exchange.  It  likewise  appears,  that  as  they  gloat 
over  the  idea  of  being  able,  by  their  blockade  and  devastation,  to  starve 
to  submission  a  people  whom  they  cannot  subdue  by  artns,  they  cal- 
culate, in  utter  indifference  to  the  sufferings  that  may  be  entailed  on 
their  own  captive  soldiers,  on  the  supplies  which  must  bo  furnished 
them,  as  an  effective  drain  on  our  limited  resources.  Could  we,  in- 
deed, be  so  straitened  as  they  delude  themselves  into  believing,  how 
fearful  must  they  expect  to  be  the  privations  and  sufferings  of  their 
soldiers  in  oar  hands,  since  they  could  not  expect  us  to  starve  our 
gallant  soldiers  or  people  to  nourish  the  malignant  invaders,  who  had 
sought  to  inflict  on  us  the  worst  ills  of  war  and  famine.  These  cap- 
tives would  of  course  be  the  first  unhappy  victims  of  the  famine, 
■which  the  barbarous  warfare  of  their  Government  may  cause.  While 
no  such  suffering  has  yet  been  entailed  on  them,  but  on  the  contrary, 
they  have,  through  the  humanity  of  our  Government,  been  provided 
as  our  own  soldiers,  yet  such  privations  as  they  have  had  to  share 
with  them  have  been  exaggerated  by  the  enemy,  in  part  from  their 
delusive  conceptions  of  our  straitened  condition,  but  more  from  the 
diligent  invention  of  false  tales,  and  have  been  made  the  pretext  of 
wantun  privations  to  our  faithful  soldiers  in  their  hands.  ,  They  com- 
pel sufferings  to  their  own  soldiers  by  their  malignant  outrages  against 
civilized  warfare,  and  then  find  in  such,  excuse  for  visiting  cruelty  and 
starvation  on  our  soldiers,  to  whom  it  is  not  pretended  they  could  not 
easily  afford  all  the  comforts  and  subsistence  due  to  captives  in  war. 
The  ineffable  baseness  of  such  a  course  exceeds  even  its  inhumanity, 
and  fur  either  it  would  be  difficult  to  find  a  parallel  in  the  history  of 
civilized,  much  less  Christian  nations. 

It  is  gratifying  to  be  able  to  state,  that  since  the  foregoing  was 
written,  a  prospect  has  been  afforded  of  ameliorating  the  condition  of 
our  captive  sohHers.  When  all  overtures  to  the  Government  of  our 
enemies  seemed  vain,  General  Lee  was  instructed  to  make  directly  to 
General  Grant  a  proposition  that,  without  releasing  either  Government 
from  the  obligation  of  affording  due  provision  to  its  captives,  each 
,  should  have  the  right  of  furnishing  to  its  own  prisoners,  in  the  posses- 
sion of  the  other,  under  the  direction  of  officers  among  them  to  be 
paroled  for  the  purpose,  such  additional  supplies  of  necessary  articles 
as  it  might  deem  expedient  to  send.  This  was  accepted,  doubtless 
through  the  influence  of  the  commanding  General  of  the  Federal 
armies,  who,  however,  profuse  of  the  lives  of  his  men  in  battle,  could 
but  have  sympathy  and  interest  for  the  imprisoned  soldier.     It  is  in- 


13  . 

dicative  of  the  remorseless  policy  of  the  hostile  Government,  that  such 
concessions  to  the  claims  of  humanity  should  have  been  made  sooner 
by  the  stern  soldier  in  the  field  than  by  their  statesmen  in  the  cabinet. 
As  the  liberty  is  afforded  by  the  agreement,  with  commendable  liber- 
ality, that  supplies  may  be  purchased  in  northern  cities,  or  sent  to  our 
soldiers  in  captivity  directly  from  foreign  ports,  there  can  be  but  little 
de]a3'  or  difficulty  in  affording  to  them  all  reasonable  supplies  for  the 
alleviation  of  their  unhappy  state.  This  arrangement  will  be  as 
gratifying  to  our  Government  and  people,  as  it  is  conformable  to 
humanity  and  wise  policy.  "V* 

The  report  of  our  Agent  of  Exchange  is  submitted  in  connection 
with  this  subject.  It  will  display  the  past  course  and  present  state  of 
negotiations  for  exchstnge. 

Uhe  operations  of  the  several  administrative  bureaus  of  the  depart- 
ment have  been  conducted  with  zeal,  ability  and  success,  reflecting 
great  credit  on  their  several  heads.     They  have  had  grievous  difficul- 
ties and  embarrassments  to  encounter  from  a  depreciating    currency, 
deficiencies  of  labor  and  materials,  and  straitened  means  of  transport- 
ation and  distribution.     In    addition,  they  have  been  constrained,  by 
the  stringent  legislation  of  Congress,  to  relinquish  their  most   active 
and  experienced  agents  and  employees,  and  substitute  them  from  the 
more  infirm    and   aged   classes.     It   was   not  practicable  to  do  this 
immediately,  without  a  ruinous  arrest  of  all  the  essential  operations  of 
production  and    supply  for  the  army  ;  but  the  obligation  has  been 
steadily  observed  and  as  the  exigencies  of  the  campaign  made  recruit- 
ment uf  our  armies  necessary,  its   execution  has  been  hastened  and 
enforced  to  the  furthest  point  compatible  with  the  preservation  and 
continuance  of  indispensable  works.     Interferences  of  this  kind  are 
inevitably   so  prejudicial  and  disturbing,  that  it  is  hoped  a  well  de- 
vised and  permanent  system  of  providing  and  retaining  in  continuous 
employment  a  sufficient  number  of  artizans,  experts  and  laborers  for 
all  essential  operations,  may  be  devised  and  established.     Great  mis- 
apprehension, it  is  believed,  has  prevailed  in  the  public  mind,  both  as 
to  the  number  and  class  of  persons  who  have  constituted  the   agents 
and  emplojees  of  the  several  bureaus,  and  much  unmerited  odium  and 
invidiousness  have  been  excited  by  the   erroneous   supposition   that 
these  bureaus  have  alTordcd  a  refuge  and  a  shield  from  the  legitimate 
claims  of  military  service.     The  aim  has  been  steadily  enjoined,  and 
i,  is  not  doubted  in  the  main  has  bean  strictly  obsarved,  of  engaging 
and  retaining  as  few  as  possible  of  military  age,  and  with  rare  excep- 
tions, it  is  confidently  believed,  the  men  now  employed  are  rendering 
mere  ellicient  service  to  the  cause  than  they  could  do  even  in  the  field. 
It  should  be  thoroughly  understood,  that  only  in  the  last  necessity, 
v.ill  they  again  be  summoned  or  disturbed.     The  best  vindication  to 
these  bureaus  is  afforded  by  the  results  attained  under  all  the  impedi- 
ments and  embarrassments  they  have  had  to  encounter.     All  essential 
supplies  have  been  afToriied,  and  neither  manufacture  nor  production 
has  so  f\ir  materially  diminished,  notwithstanding  the  invasions  and 
barbarous  ravages  of  tho  enemy  in  many  most  important  fields  of  ope- 
ration.      The   army   has   been    subsisted,   clothed  and    provided   ia 


14 

adequate  measure,  and  there  has  never  been  deficiency  of  transporta- 
tion, munitions  or  supplies  for  all  important  operations. 

Owing  to  the  absence  of  the  Commissioner  of  Indian  Affairs  on  a 
\nsit  in  discharge  of  his  duties  to  the  trans-Mississippi  Department, 
bis  usual  report  can  not  be  submitted.  Letters  received  from  him  by 
the  department,  give  in  the  Tnain,  satisfactory  representations  of  the 
feelings  and  condition  of  the  Indian  niitions.  From  other  sonrees, 
too,  intelligence  has  been  received  of  gallant  services  vrhich  have  boon 
renderoti  by  their  warriors,  duritig  the  present  campiign,  and  there  is 
every  reason  to  believe  that  at  no  time  has  prevailed' among  the  nations 
a  stronger  feeling  of  amity  and  connection  with  the  Confederate 
States. 

Attention  is  invited  to  the  accompanying  estimates  for  the  six 
months  commencing  January  1st,  and  ending  June  3'),  1865,  which 
although  large,  in  the  existing  state  of  the  currency,  are  not  believed 
to  exceed  the  demands  of  the  service. 

After  the  full  exposition  m.ade  in  my  last  report  of  the  embarrass- 
ments and  obstructions  experienced  from  the  disordered  condition  of 
our  currency,  the  impracticability  of  purchases  without  impressment, 
and  the  deficient  means  of  transportation  and  distribution,  it  is  not 
deemed  necessary  to  repeat  them.  Attention,  however,  is  specially 
invoked  to  them,  as  they  continue  with  increased  and  increasing 
stringency,  and  remedial  legislation,  in  some  important  particulars, 
is  very  desirable.  The  impressment  acts  require  revision  and  amend- 
ment. There  are  not  sufficient  provisions  against  the  removal  of 
property  after  notice  of  impressment,  nor  against  its  concealment 
before  or  after,  nor  is  the  course  prescribed  in  case  of  the  refusal  of 
the  owner  to  appoint  appraisers  as  contemplated  by  law.  The  law  is, 
in  biief,  without  adequate  sanctions  to  ensure  resj-ect  and  enforce- 
ment. Special  provisions  should  be  made  for  the  impressment  of  iron 
from  railroads.  In  order  to  maintain  the  more  important  roads,  and 
sometimes  to  construct  others  demanded  by  imperious  military  con- 
sideiations,  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  withdraw  from  local  or  branch 
roads,  their  rails  and  equipments.  Although  such  necessity  may  be 
manifest  and  acknowledged  by  all,  it  is  rare  the  proprietors  of  the 
special  road,  whose  property  is  thus  sought  to  be  appropriated,' are 
prepared  to  acquiesce  in  its 'selection  for  the  sacrifice.  Each  local 
corporation  finds  abundant  reasons  for  further  delay  or  special  ex- 
emption in  its  own  case,  and  on  them  base  justification  of  refusal  to 
sell,  and  the  interposition  of  all  possible  legal  obstructions  to  seizure 
by  impressment.  The  machinery  of  the  act  is  ill  adapted  to  the  set- 
tlement of  the  questions  that  arise  on  such  impressment,  and  pretextst 
are  readily  found  by  the  corporation  for  obtaining  rnjuuctions  and 
suspending  all  action  on  the  proverbially  tedious  proceedings  of  a 
suit  in  chancery.  Local  influences  combine,  too,  to  thwart  and  delay 
action,  and  more  than  once  the  gravest  consequences  to  the  Confede- 
.  racy  have  been  risked  by  inability,  at  the  juncture,  to  cvercorne  such 
impediments  and  command  the  required  rails.  The  impressment  of 
slaves,  too,  should  be  regulated  so  as  to  secure  uniformity  in  collec- 
tion, and  to  relieve  the  authorities  from  dependence   on  the   State 


15 

agencies.     These  agencies  dc  not  generally  operate  with  promptitude 
and  efSciency,  aivi  sometimes  prove  fruatrative  or  abortive. 

Appointments  have  been  made  under  the  net  of  Congress,  approved 
June  14,  186-*,  "  providing  for  the  establishment  and  payment  of 
claims  for  a  certain  description  of  property  taken  or  informally  im- 
pressed for  the  use  of  the  army."  In  many  instances,  the  ajjents 
selected  have  refused  to  accept,  and  it  has  boon  impracticable  to 
secure  others  competent,  in  consequence  of  the  -wholly  inadequate 
compensation  offered,  which  will  pay  a  fraction  only  of  the  expenses 
to  be  actually  inourred.  It  is  not  probable  the  law  can  be  executed 
by  the  period  prescribed,  the  1st  of  January  next,  and  it  should  be 
continued,  with  a  more  equitable  remuneration  to  the  agents. 

During  the  last  year  a  few  persons  have  gone  to  the  United  States 
without  permission  from  the  Confederate  authorities.  Some  of  these 
have  no  design  hostile  to  the  Confederacy,  but  others  leave  as  in- 
formers and  as  enemies.  In  some  cases  the  act  is  treasonable,  in 
others  more  venial.  A  law  is  necessary  to  punish  the  cases  which  do 
not  amount  to  treason  under  existing  laws. 

An  appropriation  was  made  in  February  last  for  the  payment  for 
loss  of  slaves  who  have  been  impressed  by  the  Confederate  authori- 
ties or  under  State  laws  for  the  use  of  the  Confederate  Government, 
and  while  engaged  in  laboring  on  the  public  defences  have  escaped  to 
the  enemy  or  died  or  contracted  diseases  "which  have  after  their  dis- 
charge resulted  fatally.  The  act  of  Congress  did  not  provide  for  the 
mode  of  ascertaining  these  losses  and  for  the  withdrawal  of  the  money 
from  the  Treasury.  Besides  the  slaves  impressed,  there  is  a  class  of 
slaves  who  were  received  by  contract  and  others  under  the  act  of 
Congress  of  the  17th  February  last,  by  the  consent  of  the  owner, 
upon  the  condition  that  the  Confederate  Government  should  indem- 
nify for  loss  in  cases  similar  to  those  mentioned  in  the  appropriation 
bill  above  quoted.  I  recommend  that  an  net  be  passed  for  the  a-ijast- 
ment  of  all  these  claims,  and  that  the  mode  of  adjustment  be  pre- 
scribed. 

In  view  of  the  more  numerous  uses  to  which  negroes  are  being  put, 
in  connection  with  our  armies,  as  well  as  of  the  proposition  already 
considered  of  employing  them  ris  troops,  it  seems  not  inappropriate  to 
exan.ine  the  legislation  and  policy  of  our  enemies  in  reference  to  the 
recruitment  of  their  armies  from  the  same  race,  and  especially  from 
our  negro  slaves.  In  July,  18G2,  the  Congress  of  the  United  St.ites 
passed  their  act,  ^*  to  suppress  insurrection,  to  punish  treason  and  re- 
bellion, to  seize  and  confiscate  the  property  of  rebels,  and  for  other 
purposes."  The  traitors  under  this  act  are  all  those  concerned  in  the 
war  between  the  United  States  and  the  Confederate  States..  The  per- 
sons attainted,  and  whose  property  was  confiscated,  are  those  who  htld 
any  office  of  honor  or  trust,  or  agency  under  the  Confederate  Gov- 
ernment, or  any  of  the  States,  or  in  any  municipality,  or  who  may 
be  in  anywise  engaged  or  concerned  in  the  armed  rebellion  to  the 
authority  of  the  United  States.  The  liberation  of  their  slaves  was 
to  be  a  consequence  of  their  conviction,  and  the  slaves  of  all  such 
persons,  Yrho  might  escape  or  desert,  or  might  be  captured,  or  who 


16 

might  fall  -witlun  the  places  occupied  by  tlie  arms  of  the  Uniled 
States,  -wevG,  by  the  act  of  Congress,  liberated.  The  President  wns 
authorized  '*  to  employ  as  many  persons  of  African  descent  as  he 
might  deem  necessary  and  proper  for  the  suppression  of  the  rebel- 
lion, and  to  organize  and  use  them  as  he  judged  best  for  the  public 
welfare."  This  act  of  Congress  ■was  followed  by  the  proclamatioua 
of  the  President  of  the  United  States  of  the  22d  September,  1862, 
and  of  the  1st  of  January,  IS63,  in  the  last  of  which  he  ordered  and 
declared  that  *'  all  persons  held  as  slaves  in  designated  States  and 
parts  of  States  are,  and  henceforward  should  be,  free,"  and  "  that  the 
Executive  Government  of  the  United  States,  including  the  military 
and  naval  authorities,  will  recognize  and  maintain  their  freedom." 
The  enlistment  of  a  large  number  of  slaves  within  the  Confederate 
States  into  the  military  service  of  the  United  States,  followed  upon 
these  acts.  It  was  justly  regarded  by  the  Confederate  Government  as 
a  departure  from  the  usages  of  nations,  and  an  abandonment  of  the 
rules  of  civilized  warfare.  In  the  better  times  of  the  United  States, 
their  Executive  Government  had  stigmatized  conduct  similar,  but  far 
more  venial,  "  as  a  warfare  disclaiming  all  moral  influence,  and  inflict- 
ing an  outrage  upon  social  order,  and  giving  a  shock  to  the  very 
elements  of  humanity."  "All  belligerent  nations,"  it  declared,  ''can 
form  alliances  with  the  savage,  the  Africap  and  the  bloodhound;  but 
what  civilized  nation  has  selected  these  auxiliaries  in  its  hostilities  ?" 
If  there  were  any  legal  proposition  that  had  the  unanimous  con- 
sent of  that  people,  it  was  that  the  Federal  Government  had  no  power 
to  abolish  slavery  in  any  of  the  States.  The  proclamation  of  their 
President  does  not  proceed  from  any  authority  deiived  from  the  Con- 
stitution, but  upon  the  assumed  power  to  extend  martial  law  over  the 
territory  of  the  United  States  and  the  Confederate  States.  And  the 
usurpation  even  extends  beyond  this,  for  martial  law  has  reference  to 
military  operations  and  military  relations.  Its  authority  is  temporary 
and  abnormal,  and  deals  with  the  events  of  a  season  ;  but  this  is  an  impe- 
rial edict,  determining  arbitrarily  upon  civil,  social  and  domestic  in- 
stitutions and  relations  for  all  time.  For  a  term  subsequent  to  the 
independence  of  the  United  State?,  negro  slavery  was  recognized 
among  all  the  United  States  as  a  valid  relation,  and  its  commercial 
population  participated  in  the  profits  of  the  African  slave  trade, 
under  ibe  laws  of  the  Union,  within  the  present  century.  The  ratio 
upon  which  representation  in  one  branch  of  their  Congress,  and 
direct  taxes  are  apportioned,  is  adjusted  upon  a  recognition  of  the 
existence  of  a  race  of  bondsmen  within  the  limits  of  the  Union. 
Their  highest  judicial  tribunal  has  determined  that  slavery  and  the 
slave  trade  are  not  contrary  to  the  law  of  nations,  and  that  the  vol- 
untary removal  of  slaves  by  a  master  to  a  State  where  slavery  does 
not  exist,  does  not  prevent  the  renewal  of  the  relation  between  mas- 
ter and  slave  upon  their  return  to  the  State  of  their  origin  or  dom- 
icil.  The  diplomatic  correspondence  and  the  solemn  treaties  of  the 
United  States  show  reclamations  for  escaping  slaves,  abducted  in 
time  of  war  and  of  peace,  and  the  recognition  of  those  claims  by  a 
foreign  power,  and  the  payment  of  indemnity  for  the  use  of  the  mas- 


IT 

ters,  to  the  Federal  Government.  At  this  time  the  Constitution  of 
the  United  States  contains  a  ptipulation  for  the  return  of  slaves 
escaping  to  one  State,  from  their  owner  in  another  State,  upon  his 
claim.  The  principle  that  a  slave  withdrawn  from  his  master  in  war  or 
peace,  by  desertion,  capture  or  other  act  not  sanctioned  by  the  law  of 
the  State,  or  the  will  of  the  master,  does  not  change  his  condition 
within  the  State  to  which  he  belongs,  or  prevent  the  right  of  the 
master  from  attaching  upon  his  re-capture,  is  not  an  exceptional  or 
limited  one.  The  municipal  laws  of  one  State  have  no  more  authority 
nor  recognition  within  the  limits  of  another  than  it  is  compatible  with 
the  laws  or  policy  of  that  St«te  to  allow.  And  it  would  be  contrary 
to  the  universal  usage  and  practice  of  nations  for  one  nation  to  per- 
mit another,  and  that  other  an  enemy,  to  abrogate,  impair  or  modify 
relations  between  classes  or  individuals  of  her  population,  in  time  of 
war,  by  any  change  in  their  resistance,  forced  or  voluntary.  The 
principle  o^  the  jus  post  liminiuni  in  regard  to  persons,  such  as  slaves, 
serfs,  villeins,  deserters,  or  other  person  to  whom  it  is  in  any  wise 
applicable,  has  been  uniformly  applied  on  the  continent  of  Europe, 
and  as  to  slaves,  was  tbe  law  of  Athens  and  of  Rome,  anl  from  their 
jurisprudence  has  passed  into  the  laws  of  European  nations. 

The  enlistment  of  slaves  as  a  part  of  the  army  of  the  United  States 
had  but  a  single  object.  The  act  of  Congress  and  proclamations  which 
authorized  it,  were  formed  to  destroy  political  government  and  civil 
society  in  the  Confederate  States.  By  declaring  all  officers  and  agents 
of  Confederate,  State  and  municipal  government  to  be  outlaws,  inca- 
pable of  holding  or  transferring  property,  and  subject  to  ignominious 
banishment,  and  declaring  slaves  to  be  emancipated  and  suitable  for 
service  in  their  armies,  they  sought  an  entire  overthrow  of  their  so- 
cial order,  and  determined  this  should  be  a  war  of  massacres  and  con- 
fusions, and  not  the  highest  trial  of  right  between  the  peoples.  It  had 
become  a  principle  among  Christian  sovereigns  that,  however  they 
might  prosecute  their  quarrels  and  debates  by  arms  and  acts  of  hos- 
tility, and  though  they  might  seek  the  ruin  and  overthrow  of  the 
forces  of  the  State,  yet  they  would  so  direct  their  passions  as  to  pre- 
serve the  life  and  good  name  of  each  other.  But  from  the  beginning 
our  enemy  has  prosecuted  the  war  with  murderous  design  to  take  the 
life  and  to  destroy  the  fame  of  the  peoples  of  the  Conf^^derate  States. 
The  crimes  which  determined  the  colonies  to  separate  from  Great 
Britain,  and  to  denounce  her  King  as  a  tyrant  unworthy  to  rule  a 
free  people,  are  those  which  have  been  committed  against  us,  under 
circumstances  of  ten-fold  ^trocitj',  in  the  existing  war,  by  our  enemy. 
"He  has  plundered  our  seas,  ravnged  our  coasts,  burnt  our  towns, 
and  destroyed  the  lives  of  our  people.  lie  is  at  this  time  transport- 
ing large  armies  of  foreign  mercenaries  to  complete  the  work  of  death 
and  desolation  and  tyranny  already  begun,  with  circumstances  of 
cruelty  and  perfi<ly  scarcely  paralleled  in  the  most  barbarous  ages. 
He  has  excited  domestic  insurrections  among  us."  Private  property 
is  wantonly  destroyed  ;  female  honor  outraged  ;  whole  districts  of 
unarmed  and  unresisting  population  are  ravaged  and  laid  waste,  old 
men,  helpless  women,  weak  and  feeble  children,  the  infirm  and  super- 
2 


18 

anuated  slave  population,  have  been  exposed  to  starvation  and  misery 
by  the  systematic,  cruel  and  persevering  eflfort  to  destroy  the  food 
and  raiment  of  an  entire  poeple.  A  war  conducted  on  such  prin- 
ciples, with  such  objects  and  by  such  alliances,  involved  necessarily 
the  abandonment  of  all  laws,  usages,  conventions,  mitigating  influ- 
CDces  or  humanizing  considerations  and  restraints.  The  enemy  who 
adopts  such  a  system  proclaims  in  advance  his  desire,  as  well  as  his 
design,  that  the  war  shall  become  one  for  mutual  extermination.  In 
a  contest  with  such  an  enemy,  the  Confederacy  may  exercise  a  very 
liberal  discretion  in  the  employment  of  any  agencies  or  instrumen- 
talities that  are  within  their  reach  for  the  public  defence.  Should, 
therefore,  either  policy  or  necessity  dictate  it,  the  enlistment  of  slaves 
or  any  other  population  as  auxiliaries  would  be  entirely  justified  by 
the  atrocities  that  we  have  suffered.  It  would  be  impossible  to  find 
any  ally  so  unrestrained  as  the  enemy  against  whom  he  would  be 
employed. 

Respectfully  submitted. 

JAMES  A.  SEDDON, 

Secretary  of  War. 


m 


REPORT  OF  THE  mm  OF  EXCHMGE. 


Richmond,  Va.,  November  1,  1864. 

lion.  James  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War  : 

On  the  2d  of  May  last,  I  had  the  honor  to  submit  to  you  a  detailed 
report,  not  only  of  the  operations  of  the  Bureau  of  Exchange  up  to 
that  date,  but  also  a  full  statement  of  the  principles  that  had  gov- 
erned its  action.  Since  that  date,  there  have  been  several  deliveries 
of  prisoners  on  both  sides,  embracing  chiefly,  but  by  no  means  ex- 
clusively, sick  and  disabled  men.  I  have  assurances  that  further  and 
larger  deliveries  of  this  class  of  prisoners  will  be  made  during  the  fall 
and  winter. 

At  the  time  of  my  last  report,  we  insisted  upon  the  release  of  all 
prisoners,  the  excess  to  be  on  parole.  The  enemy  refused  to  comply 
with  this  plain  requirement  of  the  Cartel,  and  demanded,  when  a  de- 
livery of  prisoners  was  made,  an  equal  number  in  return.  Seeing  a 
persistent  purpose  on  the  part  of  the  Federal  Government  to  violate 
its  agreement,  our  authorities,  moved  by  the  sufferings  of  the  brave 
men  who  are  so  unjustly  held  in  northern  prisons,  determined  to  abate 
their  just  demands,  and  accordingly,  on  the  10th  of  August  last,  I 
offered  to  exchange  the  prisoners  respectively  held  by  the  two  bel- 
ligerents, officer  for  officer  and  man  for  man.  I  only  stipulated  that 
the  officers  and  men  who  had  been  longest  in  captivity  should  be  the 
first  delivered,  where  it  was  practicable.  Although  this  offer  was 
substantially  what  had  often  been  proposed  by  the  Federal  authorities,, 
and  would  have  left  in  their  hands  whatever  excess  of  prisoners  they 
might  have  had,  yet  it  was  not  accepted. 

Some  time  in  September  following,  I  received  a  reply  from  a  quar- 
ter to  which  I  had  not  directed  my  communication,  inquiring  whether 
the  Confederate  authorities  intended  to  treat  recaptured  slaves  as 
prisoners  of  war,  and  suggesting  that  a  favorable  answer  would  re- 
move **  a  principal  difficulty  in  effecting  exchanges."  My  own  firm 
conviction  is  that  even  if  we  were  to  agree  to  the  unjust  demands  of 
the  enemy  in  this  respect,  we  would  not  secure  a  general  exchange. 
While  the  reason  for  their  refusal  is  more  truly  stated  in  the  letter  of 
General  Sherman  to  General  Hood,  yet  I  think  it  very  doubtful 
whether  they  would  agree  to  a  general  exchange,  even  if  we  consented 
to  treat  recaptured  slaves  as  prisoners  of  war  and  delivered  those  whoso 
term  of  service  had  not  expired.  I  am  satisfied  their  course  is  the 
result  of  a  conviction  forced  upon  them  by  the  events  of  the  war,  that 
a  Confederate  soldier  is  more  valuable  than  a  Federal.     The  miseries 


20  ^ 

of  tens  of  tbousands  of  their  own  people  are  as  nothing  when  weighed 
against  a  calculation.  We  can  only  hope  that  the  pressure  brought 
to  bear  upon  the  Federal  authorities  by  the  friends  and  relatives  of 
the  prisoners  held  by  us  may  force  a  change  of  policy. 

I  cannot  state  with  any  certainty  the  relative  proportion  of  pris- 
oners respectively  held  by  the  two  Governments.  The  Federal  au- 
thorities have  as  yet  failed  to  furnish  me  with  any  reliable  lists, 
although  often  promising  to  do  so.  They  hold  an  excess  of  officers, 
and  I  think  I  can  safely  assert  we  have  an  excess  of  rank  and  file. 

Lately,  1  have  consummated  an  arrangement  for  the  release  and 
exchange  of  all  naval  prisoners,  A  partial  delivery  has  already  been 
made,  and  another  is  daily  expected,  which  will  fully  carry  out  the 
agreement.  Some  deliveries  and  exchanges  have  also  taken  place  in 
the  trans-Mississippi  country,  through  the  agents  of  this  office.  They 
will  probably  again  occur,  whenever  the  enemy  has  any  prisoners  in 
that  region  to  give  as  equivalents.  An  error  respecting  special 
exchanges  seems  to  prevail  both  amongst  our  people  and  captive  sol- 
diers. The  Federal  authorities,  with  a  malignity  congenial  to  them, 
in  the  hope  of  causing  irritation  on  the  part  of  our  prisoners  towards 
their  Government,  have  basely  and  falsely  represented  to  them,  that 
special  exchanges  are  being  constantly  proposed  by  us.  A  long 
time  ago  I  communicated  to  you  the  many  grave  objections  to  any 
3uch  system.  My  views  met  your  entire  approval,  and  I  have 
accordingly  constantly  refrained  from  making  special  exchanges, 
though  frequently  urged  to  do  so.  The  officers  and  soldiers  delivered 
to  us  were  in  all  cases  selected  by  the  enemy,  and  those  of  theirs 
who  were  sent  in  return  were  designated  by  us.  This  was  not  a 
system  of  special  exchange  in  any  sense  of  the  term.  If  the 
officers  and  soldiers  sent  to  us  had  been  specially  asked  for,  or  if 
their  return  had  been  caused  by  any  special  action  of  the  Confederate 
authorities  in  their  individual  cases,  there  would  have  been  ground 
for  the  belief  that  special  exchanges  were  being  made.  The  efforts 
of  the  Government  have  been  directed  to  the  release  of  all  our 
prisoners,  without  any  discrimination  in  favor  of  particular  per- 
sons. To  have  pursued  any  other  plan  would  not  only  have 
showed  partiality  and  favoritism,  where  all  have  tried  to  do  their 
duty  faithfully,  but  would  have  given  to  the  enemy  the  opportunity  of 
making  selections  from  their  own  prisoners  in  our  hands  to  such  an 
extent  as  would  have  precluded  all  hope  of  a  general  exchange.  With 
very  rare  exceptions,  I  have  never  known  what  officers  or  men  were 
on  the  flag  of  truce  boat,  until  I  visited  it.  Under  your  instructions, 
all  of  our  prisoners  have  been  considered  as  occupying  the  same  posi- 
tion, and  each  one  on  his  return  has  been  received  with  as  much  wel- 
come as  any  other,  I  repeat,  therefore,  that  no  special  efforts  have 
been  used  to  secure  the  release  or  exchange  of  particular  per- 
sons, and  every  line  of  policy  which  would  put  any  one  of  our  pris- 
oners in  a  more  favorable  position  than  that  occupied  by  the  others, 
has  been  carefully  avoided.  The  published  correspondence  of  this 
office  shows  the  entire  readiness  of  our  Government  to  return  an 
equivalent  for  any  Confederate  officer  and  soldier  sent  within  our 


21 

lines.  Who  that  equivalent  shall  be,  we  have  reserved  the  right  to 
determine,  and  when  the  selection  is  made  and  the  party  delivered  to 
the  Federal  authorities,  it  is  simply  the  return  of  an  equivalent,  and 
not  a  special  exchange.  To  refuse  to  return  the  equivalent  would  be 
to  doom  the  oflScer  or  soldier  to  hopeless  captivity,  after  liberty  had 
dawned  upon  him. 

I  am  happy  to  be  able  to  announce  that  an  agreement  has  recently 
been  made  with  the  Federal  authorities,  by  which  each  Government 
may  send  contributions  of  food  and  clothing  to  the  prisoners  held  by 
the  adverse  party.  We  are  at  liberty  to  make  our  purchases  either  in 
Europe  or  a  Northern  city.  When  the  details  have  been  fully 
arranged  I  will  communicate  them  to  you. 

The  enemy  still  continues  the  arrest  of  non-combatants.  I  have 
been  notified  by  the  Federal  authorities  that  "  all  white  persons 
between  the  ages  of  seventeen  and  fifty,  residents  of  the  Confederate 
States,  captured  by  United  States  forces,  will  be  held  and  deemed  to 
be  soldiers  of  the  Confederate  army,  and  will  be  treated  as  prisoners 
of  war  and  held  for  exchange."  In  view  of  their  practice  and  this 
declaration,  the  course  to  be  pursued  by  us  towards  non-combatants 
who  are  residents  of  the  United  States,  or  who,  being  citizens  of  the 
Confederate  States,  are  hostile  to  our  cause,  becomes  a  subject  of  the 
gravest  importance.  After  much  reflection,  I  am  fully  convinced  that 
the  only  effectual  method  of  preventing  the  outrages  which  are  being 
daily  perpetrated  upon  our  loyal  non-combatant  citizens,  is  to  cause 
the  arrest  of  every  citizen  of  the  United  States  who  may  be  within 
our  reach,  and  of  such  citizens  of  any  one  of  the  Confederate  States 
as  are  known  to  be  inimical.  We  have  tried  every  other  plan  without 
much  avail.  At  present,  we  have  so  small  a  number  in  confinement 
that  an  exchange  of  man  for  man  would  release  but  very  few  of  the 
many  held  in  Northern  prisons.  If  the  plan  suggested  worked  no 
other  result,  it  would  furnish  us,  in  the  event  of  an  exchange,  with 
more  material.  I  know  there  are  very  many  grave  objections  to  this 
course,  but  yet  I  think  it  may  almost  be  safely  stated  that  the  horrors 
under  which  our  non-combatant  population  are  now  suffering  can 
hardly  be  increased.  When  we  have  resorted  to  such  arrests  as  are 
made  by  the  enemy,  there  is  some  chance  that  the  whole  system  will 
break  down  by  the  sheer  weight  of  its  gigantic  misery. 
Respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

ROBERT   OULD, 
Agent  of  Exchange. 


ESTIMATES. 


War  Department,  C.  S.  A.,      ) 
Richmond,  October  8th,  18G4.  S 

'  I  estimate  that  there  will  be  required  for  the  incidental  and  con- 
tingent expenses  of  the  army,  during  the  six  months  commencing 
January  Ist,  1865,  and  ending  June  3Uth,  1865,  the  sum  of  two 
hundred  and  fifty  thousand  dollars. 

JAMES  A.  SEDDON, 

Secretary  of  War., 


ESTIMATE  for  the  War  Department  and   its  Bureaus  for   the  half 
year  ending   June   3(3,   1865. 


There  are  at  present  employed  two  hundred  and  sixty  clerkg, 
but  m  consequence  of  the  rapid  increase  of  the  business  of 
the  Government,  I  would  suggest  that  an  appropriation  be  asked  for 
the  payment  of  at  least  three  hundred.  These,  with  the  Secretary  of 
War,  Assistant  Secretary,  Chief  of  Bureau,  Disbursing  Clerk,  and 
hve  messengers,  will  require,  at  the  present  rates  paid,  under  the 
head  of 

Compensation  of  Secretary  of  War,  Assistant  Secretary,   Chief  of 
Bureaus,  clerks,  messengers,  kc,  $615,750 

Under  the  present  high  charges,  I  must  suggest  that  the  contin- 
gent fund  be  increased,  viz.  : 

For    incidental     and    contingent    expenses    of    the    War    Depart- 
ment, $175,000 
Respectfully  submitted, 

ALFRED  CHAPMAN,     • 
Disbursing  Clerk   War  Departmcat. 
To  the  Hon.  James  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War, 
Approved : 

James  A.  Seddox, 

Secretary  of  War.  -'^' ;>#«V«f>jilf^« .- 


24 


ESTIMATE  FOR  FUNDS. 


Time  estimated 

for 

For  what  purpose 

Six  months  commenoinc;  the  Stntioiiery,  (r.f  hU  kinds,) 
Ist,  day  of  Jauuary,   18G5,  and  Tostage, 
ending  30th  day  of  June,  1805.:Telec;raphing, 

For  the  fiscal  year.                 (Cttrjienter's  work, 

For  the  use  of  the  Adjutant  Furniture, 
and    Inspector    General's    De-  Watclimau's  salary, 
j.artmtnt,  C.  S.  A.                       Hire  of  por*.ers. 

$15,000  00 
7,000  00 
8,000  00 
6,500  00 
3,500  00 
2,U00  00 
5,000  00 

Incidetal  and  miscellaneoua 

expenses 

5,000  00 

$52,000  00 

I  certify,  on  honor,  that  the  above  estimate  is  correct  and  just,  and  that  the 
funds  are  required  to  meet  the  contingent  expenses  of  this  oihce,  for  the  fiscal 
vear  ending  June  30,  1865. 

wS.  COOPEE, 
Aifjuiant  and  Intpector  General. 
A.  AND  1.  G.  Office,  Sept.  29,  1864. 
Approved  : 

James  A.  Seddos,  Secretary  of  War. 


[A.] 

ESTIMATE  of  the  awcvvt  required  hy  the  Qxiarter w aster'' s  Drpartment 
for  disbursement  for  the  pvblic  service  of  that  Department  for  six 
months,  commencing  January  1st  and  ending  June  ZOth,  1865,  viz  : 

Regular  Supplies. 

l8t.  In  the  regular  supplies  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department, 
consisting  of  fuel  for  the  officers,  enlisted  men,  guard,  hospital  stores 
houses  and  officers,  of  forage  in  kind  for  the  horses,  mules  and  oxen 
of  the  Quartermaster's  Department  at  the  several  posts  and  stations 
and  with  the  armies  in  the  field,  and  for  the  authorized  number  of  offi- 
cers horses,  horses  for  the  several  corps  of  artillery,  including  bed- 
ding for  the  animals,  of  straw  for  soldiers  bedding  and  of  stationery, 
including  blank  books  for  the  Quartermaster's  Department,  certificates 
for  discharged  soldiers,  blank  forms  for  the  Pay  and  Quartermaster's 
Departments,  and  for  printing  of  division  and  department  orders  and 
reports : 

Forage,  $44,649,720  00 

Fuel,  7,272,115  00 

Straw,  2,742,292  00 

Stationery,  1,725,900  00 

$56,390,027  00 


Carried  forward, 


$56,390,027  00 


J 


Brought  forward,  .mm^  $56,390,027  00 

Incidental  Expenses. 

For  the  incidental  expenses  of  the  Quartermaster's 
Department,  consisting  of  postage  on  letters  and 
packages  received  and  sent  by  officers  of  the  army 
on  public  service,  expenses  of  courts  martial  and 
courts  of  inquiry,  including  the  additional  com- 
pensation of  judges  advocate,  recorders,  members 
and  witnesses,  while  on  that  service,  under  the 
act  March  16,  1862,  extra  pay  to  soldiers  em- 
ployed under  the  direction  of  the  Quartermaster's 
Department  in  the  erection  of  barracks,  quarters, 
storehouses  and  hospitals,  in  the  construction  of 
roads  and  other  constant  Ltbor  for  periods  of  not 
less  than  ten  days,  under  the  acts  of  August  4, 
1854,  and  May  1,  1863,  including  those  employed 
at  division  and  department  headquarters,  expenses 
of  expresses  to  and  from  the  frontier  posts  and 
stations  and  armies  in  the  field,  of  escorts  to  pay- 
masters and  other  disbursing  officers,  and  to  trains 
■where  military  escorts  cannot  be  furnished,  ex- 
penses of  the  interment  of  officers  killed  in  battle 
or  who  may  die  when  on  duty  in  the  field,  or  at 
the  posts  on  the  frontiers,  or  at  other  posts  and 
places  when  ordered  by  the  Secretary  of  War,  and 
of  non-commissioned  officers  and  soldiers,  author- 
ized office  furniture,  hire  of  laborers  in  the  Quar- 
termaster's Department,  including  the  hire  of  in- 
terpreters and  guides  for  the  army,  compensation 
to  clerks  of  officers  of  the  Quartermaster's  De- 
partment, compensation  of  wagon  and  forage  mas- 
ters, for  the  apprehension  of  deserters  and  ex- 
penses incident  to  their  pursuit.  The  purchase 
of  travelling  forges,  blacksmiths  and  shoeing 
tools,  horse  and  mule  stores,  and  nails,  iron  and 
steel  for  shoeing,  hire  of  veterinary  surgeons, 
medicines  for  horses  and  mules,  picket  ropes  and 
for  shoeing  the  horses  of  the  corps  named,  8,213,160  00 

Transportation  of    Officers  Baggage. 

For  mileage  or  the  allowance  made  to  officers  of  the 
army  for  the  transportation  of  themselves  and 
their  baggage  when  travelling  on  duty  without 
troops,  escorts  or  supplies,  500,000  Ot) 

Carried  forward,  $65,103,187   00 


26 

Brought  forward,  $65,103,187  00 

Transportation  Troops  and  Supplies. 

For  transportation  of  the  army,  including  the  bag- 
gage of  the  troops,  when  moving  either  by  land 
or  water,  of  clothing,  camp  and  garrison  equip- 
age, from  the  several  depots  to  the  troops  in  the 
field,  of  horse  equipments  and  subsistence  from 
the  places  of  purchase  and  from  the  places  of  de- 
livery under  contracts  to  such  places  as  the  cir- 
cumstances of  the  servicemay  require  them  to  be 
sent,  of  ordnance  stores  and  small  arms  from  the 
foundries  and  armories  to  the  arsenals,  fortifica- 
tions, frontier  posts  and  army  depots,  freights, 
wharfage,  tolls  and  ferriages.  The  purchase  and 
hire  of  horses,  mules  and  oxen,  and  the  purchase 
and  repair  of  wagons,  carts  and  drays,  and  of 
ships  and  other  sea-going  vessels  and  boats  re- 
quired for  the  transportation  of  supplies  and  for 
garrison  purposes,  for  drayage  and  cartage  at  the 
several  posts,  hire  of  teamsters,  transportation  of 
funds  for  the  pay  and  other  disbursing  depart- 
ments, the  expense  of  sailing  public  transports 
on  the  various  rivers  and  for  procuring  water  at 
such  posts  as,  from  their  situation,  require  it  to 
be  brought  from  a  distance,  and  for  clearing 
roads,  harbors  and  rivers  to  the  extent  which  may 
be  required  for  the  actual  operations  of  the  troops,      62,067,433  33 

Barracks  and  Quarters. 

For  hire  or  commutation  of  quarters  for  officers  on 
military  duty;  hire  of  quarters  for  the  troops,  of 
store-houses  for  the  safe-keeping  of  military 
goods  ;  of  grounds  for  summer  cantonments  and 
for  temporary  frontier  stations,  rents  and  repairs 
of  wharves  for  hutting  troops  ;  and  for  repairing, 
altering  and  enlarging  buildings  at  the  estab- 
lished posts,  and  for  the  purchase  of  materials 
therefor,  8,768,000  00 

Clothing,  Camp  and  Garrison  Equipage. 

For  the  purchase  of  the  necessary  materials  for 
clothing,  camp  and  garrison  equipage,  and  for 
pay  for  labor,  &c.,  necessary  to  the  fabrication 
of  the  same,  42,622,974  00 


Carried  forward,  $178,561,644  33 


Brouglit  forward,  $178,561,644  S3 

Property  Impressed. 

To  pay  for  property  impressed  into  the  service  of 
the  Confederate  States,  under  appraisement,  and 
said  property  having  either  been  lost  or  applied 
to  the  public  service,  1,000,000  00 

Horses  Killed. 

To  pay  for  horses  of  volunteers,  killed  in  battle, 
under  act  No.  48,  sec.  7,  and  for  which  provision 
is  to  be  made,  2,000,000  00 

Prisoners  of  War. 


Hire  of  prisons  for  the  safe-keeping  of  prisoners  of 

war,  offices,  &c.,  &c.,  act  of  21st  May,  1861,  500,000  00 

Tax  in  Kind. 

For  the  hire  of  clerks,  agents,  teamsters,  laborers 
and  employees,  rent  of  offices  and  store-houses, 
purchase  of  material,  labor  for  building,  store- 
houses, incidental  expenses  required  in  collect- 
ing and  receiving  the  tax  in  kind,  4,125,300  00 


Total,  $186,186,944  33 

Form  of  Appropriation. 
For  service  of  the  Quartermaster's  Department,       $186,186,9'I4  33 

A.  R.  LAWTON, 

MMUkU  ■  Quartermaster  General. 

Quartermaster  General's  Office,  ) 
Richmond,  Oct.  8,  1864.      5 
Approved : 

J.  A.  Seddon,  ^tW^jMMF''. 

Secretary  of  War. 


[B.] 

ESTIMATE  of  the  amount  required  to  pay  the  Army  of  the  Confede- 
rate States  for  six  months,  from  the  \sc  January  to  the  BOth  June, 
1865. 

One  Corps  of  Artillery. 

1  colonel,  $210  per  month,  $210 

2  lieutenant  colonels,  $185  per 

month,  370 

12  majors,  $162  per  month,  1,944 

40  captains,  $140  per  month,  5,600 
80  first    lieutenants,   $100     per 

month,  8,000 
40  second    lieutenants,  $90    per 

month,  3,600 
4  assistant  quartermasters,  $140 

per  month,  560 
4  assistant  commissaries,  $140 

per  month,  560 

4  surgeons,  $162  per  month,  648 
8  assistant  surgeons,  $110  per 

month,  880 
40  first    sergeants,     $27     per 

month,  1,080 

160  sergeants,  $24  per  month,  3,840 

160  corporals,  $20  per  month,  3,200 

80  buglers,  $20  per  month,  1,600 

40  farriers,  $20  per  month,  800 

40  blacksmiths,  $20  per  month,  800 

3440  privates,  $19  per  month,  65,360 

4  quartermaster  sergeants,  $28 

per  month,  112 
4  sergeant     majors,     $28     per 

month,  112 

4  chief  buglers,  $28  per  month,  1 1 3 

4  adjutants,  $110  per  month,  440 

Pay  for  one  month,  $99,828 

One  corps  for  six  months,  $598,968 

Six  corps  for  six  months,  $3,593,808 

One  Reglment  of  Cavalry. 

1  colonel,  $210  per  month,  $210 


Amount  carried  forward,  $210  $3,593,808 


2i« 

Amount  brought  forward,  $210                      $3,593,808 
1  lieutenant  colonel,  $185  per 

month,  185 

1  major,  $162  per  mopth,  162 

10  captains,  $140  per  month,  1,400 
10  first    lieutenants,    $100    per 

month,  1,000 
20  second   lieutenants,  $90   per 

month,  1,800 

1  surgeon,  $162  per  month,  163 

2  assistant  surgeons,  $110  per 

month,  220 
10  first    sergeants,     $37     per 

month,  270 

40  sergeants,  $24  per  month,  960 

40  corporals,  $20  per  month,  800 

20  buglers,  $20  per  month,  400 

10  farriers,  $20  per  month,  200 

10  blacksmiths,  $20  per  month,  200 

GOO  privates,  $19  per  month,  11,400 
1   quartermaster   sergeant,    $28 

per  month,  28 
1   sergeant     major,      $23      per 

month,  28 

1   chief  bugler,  $28  per  month,  28 

1   adjutant,  $1 10  per  month,  110 
1  assistant  quartermaster,  $140 

per  month,  140 
1   assistant    commissary,    $140 

per  month,  140 
40  cents  per  day  for  use  and  risk 

of  horse  one  month,  8,796 


Pay  for  one  regiment  one  month,    $28,639 

Pay  for  one  regiment  six  months,  $171,834 

Paj  for  104  regiments  six  months,  $17,870,736 

One  Regiment  of  Infantrv, 

1  colonel,  $195  per  month,  $195 

1   lieutenant  colonel,  $170  per 

month,  170 

1  major,  $150  per  month,  150 

10  captains,  $130  per  month,  1,300 

10  first     lieutenants,     $90  per 

month,  900 

20  second  lieutenants,    $80  per 

month,  1,600 


Amount  carried  forward,  $4,315  $21^464,544 


so 


Amount  brought  forward,  $4,315 

1  surgeon,  $162  per  month,  162 

2  assistant  surgeons,  $110  per 

per  month,  220 
1  assistant  quartermaster,  $140 

per  month,  140 
1  assistant    commissary,    $140 

per  month,  140 

1  adjutant,  $100  per  month,  100 
1  sergeant    major,    $28    per 

month,  28 
1  quartermaster  sergeant,    $28 

per  month,  28 
1  principal  musician,  $28    per 

month,  28 

10  first  sergsants,  $24  per  month,  960 

40  sergeants,  $24  per  month,  960 

40  corporals,  $20  per  month,  800 

20  musicians,  $19  per  month,  380 

600  privates,  $18  per  month,  10,800 

1  ensign,  $90  per  month,  90 

$18,461 


$21,464,544 


Pay  for  one  month, 
Pay  for  six  months, 
Pay  for  six  months,  547  regiments. 


$110,766 


60,589,002 


Field  and  Staff. 


200  generals,  $500  per  month,  $100,000 
400  aids-de-camp,     $  1  3  5    per 

month,  54,000 
163  brigade  quartermasters,  $162 

per  month,  26,406 
159  brigade    commissaries,    $162 

per  month,  25,758 

500  chaplains,  $80  per  month,  40,000 

73  cadets,  $90  per  month,  6,570 


Pay  for  one  month. 
Pay  for  six  months. 


$252,734 


1,516,404 


Signal  Corps. 


1  major,  $150  per  month,  $150 

10  captains,  $130  per  month,  1,300 
10  first    lieutenants,    $90    per 

month,  900 


Amount  carried  forward, 


$2,350 


$83,569,950 


Amount  brought  forward,  $2,350  $83,569,950 

10  second   lieutenants,  $80  per 

month,  800 

30  sergeants,  $24  per  month,  720 


Pay  for  one  month,  $3,870 

Pay  for  six  months,  23,220 

Reserves. 

Same  as  one  regiment  of  infantry. 

Pay  for  one  month,  18,461 

Pay  for  six  months,  110,766 

Pay  for  six  months,  35  regiments,  3,876,810 


Pat  of  officers  ix  Richmond. 


Tax 


IX    KIND. 


^^^^P 


Pay  of  officers  on  duty  in  the  office  of  the  Adjutant 
and  Inspector  General's  department,  Quartermas- 
ter General's,  Medical,  Engineer,  Ordnance  and 
Subsistence  Departments  in  Richmond,]  210,000 


Pay  of  officers,  etc.,  in  receiving  and  collecting  the 

tax  in  kind,  1,226,418 


Total,  $88,906,398 

Form  of  Appropriation. 

Pay  of  officers  and  privates  of  the  army,  volunteers,  militia,  etc., 

$88,906,398 

A.  R.  LAWTON, 

Quartermaster  General, 
<K'arterma9ter  General's  Office,  ) 
Richmond,  Va.,  October  10,  1864.  \ 


33 


Confederate  States  of  America,  ) 

Subsistence  Department,      \ 

Richmond,  Va.,  Oct.  4,  1S64.  > 

ESTIMATE   OF  FUNDS   required  for  the  purchase  of  Subsistence 
Stores  and  Commissary  Property  for  six  months,  ending  June  30,  1865 : 

For  rations  for  400,000  men  for   181     days,  at 

$3.02375  per  ration, 
For  six  rations  tobacco  each  for  400,000  men,  at 

two  dollars. 


$146,519,500  00 
4,800,000  00 


There  will  be  furnished  from  the  tax  in  kind,  sub- 
sistence worth,  say, 


Balance  estimated  to  credit  of  the  appropriation  on 
January  1st,  1865, 


$151,319,500  00 

31,319,500  00 

$120,000,000  00 

70,000,000  00 

$50,000,000  00 

Amount  actually  required  to  be  appi;ppriated  by   Congress,  fifty 
million  dollars. 

The  balance  ($70,000,000)  is  caused  by  the  fact  that  this  bureau 
has  been  unable  to  obtain  for  the  army  the  full  ration  estimated  for. 
Respectfully  submitted, 

L.  B.  NORTHROP, 
Commissary  General  of  Subsistence. 
Approved  : 

James  A.  Seddon,  Secretary  of  War. 


ESTIMATED  cost  of  one  hundred  rations. 


Kations. 

Articles. 

Quantity. 

60 

Meal, 

75 

jjounds. 

40 

Flour, 

45 

" 

100 

Bah, 

2 

quarts, 

50 

Beans, 

4 

" 

50 

Kicc, 

5 

pounds, 

l(tO 

Coffee, 

6 

«' 

100 

Suijiir, 

12 

" 

100 

Viaeciar, 

4 

quarts. 

100 

Candles, 

L', 

pounds, 

100 

Soap, 

4 

" 

60 

Bncon, 

20 

(( 

25 

Beef, 

25 

" 

15 

Sorghum, 

45 

gills, 

Price. 


S5  per  bu>hcl, 

50  cents  per  pound, 

^o  per  bushel, 

6     "         " 
30  cents  per  pound 

S5 

2  50  per  gallon, 

3  per  pound, 
1     " 

3     "         " 
75  cents  per  pound, 
$10  per  gallon. 


Amount. 


$  7  50 
22  60 
31J 
75 

1  50 
30  00 
30  (lO 

2  50 
4  50 
4  00 

60  00 
IS  75 
14  06] 

$202  37i 


S3 

Confederate  States  ok  America,      ) 
Surgcofi   GeneraVs  Office,  Richmond,  V».  \ 

ESTIMATE  for  funil,^  required  for  the  Mediotl  Department  Covfedernte 
Sl'dcs  Ann//,  for  fhv  period  of  six  months,  coinmendng  Janxinry  1, 
1865,  and  ending  June,  3(1,  1865  : 

For  purchase  of  medical  and  hospital  supplies  : 
Medicines,  $8,()()(),0()0 

Instruments,  2()1),<HM) 

Books  for  hospital  and  regimental  records,         100,01)0 
Hospital  stores,  2,000,000 

Beddin<^,  2,000,000 

Furniture,  dressings,  &c.,  2,000,000    $14,300,000 

For  purchase  of  hoi^pital  clothing  required  by  act  of 
Congress,  approved  September  27,  1^62,  entitled 
**  An  act  to  better  provide  for  the  sick  and  wounded 
in  the  army,  in  hospitals,'"  500,000 

For  purchase  of  312,000  gallons  alcoholic  stimulants^, 
required  for  Medical  Dopiirtinent.  for  medical  and  hos- 
pital purpudes,  for  an  army  of  500, (Mill  men,  4.000,000 
For  establishment  and  support  of  military  hospitals,  100,000 
For  pay  of  private  physicians  employeil  by  contract,                250,000 
For  pay  of  nurses  an<i  ooks  not  enlisted  or  volunteer,             350,000 
For  pay  of  hospital  stewards,  100,000 
For  pay    of  matron?,  up^ist.uU  matrons  and  ward-ma- 
trons,                                                                                          $350,000 
For  pay  of  ward-mnsters,                                                                 200,000 
For  pay  of  hospital  laundresses,                                                     150,000 


Total,  $20,300,000 

S.  P.  MOORE, 
Surgeon  General  C.  S.  Army. 
Approved  : 

J,  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War. 


/ESTIMATE  of  funds  required  by  the.    Ordnance  Department,  C.  S.  A.y 
f/oin  \f:t  January,  I8G5,  to  30M  June,  1865  : 

For  ordnance  service  in  all  its  branches,  $30,000,000,  namely: 

For  service  at  sirsonal:'.  armories  and  depots,  $15,000,000 

For  purchase  of  ordnance  and  ordnance  stores  abroad,  5,000,000 

Carried  forward.  $20,000,000 


34 

Brought  forward,  $20,tHK),(HiO 

For  purchase  of  ordnance    and    ordnance  stores  in  the 

Confederacy,  5,iil>0,()i>n 

For  service  of  the  trans-Mississippi  Department,  5,(I0U,IMHI 


J.  GORGAS, 
Oolond,  Chief  of  Ordnance. 
Approved : 

James  A.  Seddon, 

Secreimy  of  War. 


Richmond,  Odol/er  10,  1864. 

Hon.  James  A.  Sedoon, 

Secretary  of  War  : 

Sir:  I  have  the  honor  to  request  that  application  maybe  made  to 
Congress  for  an  appropriation  of  fifteen  millions  of  dollars,  to  be  ex- 
pended "  for  the  purpose  of  making  purchases  of  cotton,  naval  stores 
and  other  produce,  under  the  direction  of  the  President,  to  meet  the 
engagements  of  the  Government,  and  to  purchase  necessary  army, 
navy  and  other  supplies." 

Verv  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant. 

THOS.  L.  BAYNE, 
Lieutenant  Colonel,  in  charge  of  Cotton  and  Foreign  Supplies. 
Approved : 

James  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War. 


Confederate  States  of  America,  \ 

War  Department,  '. 

Engineer  Bureau,  Richmond,  Va.,  Oct.  27,  1864.  ) 

Hon.  James  A.  Sepdon, 

Secretary  of  War  : 

Sir  :  I  respectfully  request  that  the  following  mf.y  be  inserted  after 
the  word  "laws,"  in  the  estimate  for  loss  of  slaves,  submitted  by  this 
office:  *'  Or  voluntarily  sent  to  the  Confederate  authorities,  and  ac- 
cepted by  them,  without  other  special  contract,"  which  estimate  will 
then  read  as  follows  : 

Estimate  for  loss  of  slaves  which  have  been  impressed  by  Confederate 
authorities,  or  under  State  laws,  or  voluntarily  sent  to  the  Confed- 
erate authorities,  and  accepted  by  them,  without  other  special  con- 
tract, for   the  use  of  the  Confederate  Government,  and  while  en- 
\   gaged  in  laboring  on   the  public  defences,  or   other   public   works. 


35 

have  escaped  to  the  enemy,  or  died,  or  contracted  diseases,  which 
have,  after  their  discharge,  resulted  fatally,  one  million  five    hun- 
dred thousand  dollars,  $I,500,UU0 
Very  respectfully,  your  obedient  servant, 

J.  F.  GILMER, 
Major  General  and  Chief  of  Bureau. 
Approved  : 

James  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary/  of  War. 


Engineer  Bureau,  September  30,  1864, 

Estimate  for  engineer  service  in  all  its  branches,  including  the  col- 
laction  and  distribution  of  railroad  iron  for  the  six  months,  com- 
mencing January  1st  and  ending  June  30th,  1865,       $10,000,000 

(Ten  million  dollars.) 

J.  F.  GILMER, 
Major  General  and  Chief  Engineer  Bureau, 
Approved : 

James  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War. 


Engineer  Bureau,  September  30,  1864. 

Estimate  for  loss  of  slaves  which  have  been  impressed  by  Confederate 
authoiities,  or  uncer  State  laws,  for  the  use  of  the  Confederate 
Government,  and  while  engaged  in  laboring  on  the  public  defences 
have  escaped  t.i  the  enemy,  or  died,  or  contracted  diseases  which 
have,  after  their  discharge,  resulted  fatally,  !$1,500,<UU) 

(One  million  five  hundred  thousand  dollars.) 

J.  F.  GILMER, 
•  Mijor  (icnernl  (Old  Chief  Engineer  Bureau. 

Approved  : 

James  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War. 


36 

ESTIMATE  of  funds   required  for  Nitre  and  Mining   service  for   six 
months,  comintndng  Januury  \st  and  endiv^  Jnve  3<'M,  1865. 

Nitre,  S2.6(Mi,0Ul> 

Iron,  cast  and  rolled,  6,r)!)0,(MIO 

Lead,  1.7(iO,iM)U 

Copper,  .                             1,3()(»,<MI() 

Other  metals,  500, DUO 


Total  required,  "  $12,500,000 

Respectfully  submittod, 

J.   M.  St.  JOHN, 
Colonel  and  Chief  Bureau. 
Approved  : 

J.^MES  A.  Seudon, 

Secretary  of  War. 


APPROXIMATE  ESTIMATE  of  the  expenses  of  conscrivtirn,  and  of 
the  arrest  and  return  of  deserters  and  absentees,  and  all  the  serxnces  as- 
signed to  the  Bureau  of  Conscription,  indudistg  pay  of  officers,  i^vp- 
porting  forces,  viileage,  postage,  Hctionery,  telegrams,  office  rents,  fuel, 
and  extuiordinary  and  contingent  e.vp?.nses,  in  the  States  of  Virginia^ 
North  Carolina,  South  Carolina,  Gaorgv;,  Alabama,  Mississippi,  Ten- 
nessee, Kentucky,  Florida  and  East  Louisiana.  For  six  months,  com- 
mencing January  \st,  1864,  and  ending  June  30//i,  1864. 

States.  Total  of  Expenses. 

Virginia,  $257,828 

North  Carolina,  325,365 

South  Carolina,  197,828 

Georgia.  408,440 

Alabama,  408,440 

Mississippi,  408,440 

Tennes/ee,  100,000 

Kentucky,  100,OUO 

Florida,  100,000 

East  Louisiana,  75,000 

Bureau  of  Conscription  at  Richmond,  Va.,  44,772 


Grand  total,  $2,426,114 

JOHN  L.  PRESTON, 
Brigadier  General  and  Superintendents 
Approved :  • 

James  A.  Seddon, 

Secretary  of  War. 


\ 


pH8.5 


